The police listen to instructions from delivery people to bust drug networks

After streamlining the process of working with delivery service aggregators, the Bengaluru city police are seeing success in dismantling drug trafficking networks through the leads provided by these aggregators.

In February, Central Crime Branch (CCB) sleuths were successful in nabbing a doctor from North Bengaluru, based on clues about the alleged ordering of hydroganja using cryptocurrency, from the Netherlands. A senior police officer told DH that the leads came from a delivery aggregator.

The officer said several such arrests have been made in the last two months based on leads provided by the aggregators. The leads have also led to the dissolution of smaller paddling networks.

“These networks work in different ways, and the delivery service is one of them. Working with aggregators was crucial as we can get vital information from them,” he said.

For example, if person A orders something from person B multiple times at the same location, a pattern will emerge. Maintaining a database of such details will help police conduct analysis and make connections. As a result, the police informed the aggregators about the various options. They have also been instructed to monitor unverified sellers.

While seeking crucial information from the aggregators, the police have also directed them to conduct strict background checks on their delivery personnel.

For this purpose, the police have offered the aggregators to use the criminal database that the police have maintained over the years.

A senior police officer belonging to the Central Crime Branch (CCB) said this will not only help the aggregators keep their employees and gig worker bases transparent and clean, but will also hinder the chances of misuse of the platforms, thus restricting all “illegal activities”. .”

“Though the aggregators have their own mechanism to conduct background checks, there will be loopholes as there is no centralized database of applicants. Now that we offer them criminal records, aggregators can rely on it for immediate checks,” he said.

According to the CCB official, nearly 85% of the synthetic drugs movement in the city is controlled by foreigners. Many of them exceed the visa period.

The department, without disclosing details, has devised methods to track foreigners involved in drug trafficking.