Eliminating drugs is target of our govt, says Stalin

CHENNAI: Chief Minister M K Stalin on Thursday said that elimination of drugs and Gutkha was the target of his government.

Blaming the previous AIADMK regime for the drug prevalence in the State now, Stalin, intervening during the debate on the motion of thanks to the Governor for his debate in the State Assembly, said that his government has created a new history in drug crackdown.

Pointing out that about 50,875 persons were arrested and 11.59 lakh kgs of Gutkha was seized in the incumbent regime, the Chief Minister recalled the meeting of district Collectors and SPs he had chaired on August 10, 2022 and said that about 12,294 cases were registered in connection with Ganja and 17,280 'enemies' arrested.

Remarking that the Gutkha and drug had spread like cancer in the society during the previous AIADMK regime, the Chief Minister said that an incumbent MLA of the AIADMK and former minister, a DGP and police commissioner were included in the chargesheet "by the CBI, not us," in connection with the Gutkha scam.

The government has intensified the enforcement for the social evil of drug allowed in the previous AIADMK regime, the CM said, responding to the charge of Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palansiwami that about Rs 170 crore worth drugs were transported from Chennai to Ramnad without being tracked by any agency in the state till the central agencies seized them there.