Centre bans nine new party drugs

At least nine new party drugs have entered in Indian market. Some of these drugs have replaced LSD and are high in demand, enforcement agency sources told dna.

These drugs are smuggled from abroad and are later circulated in Indian market. The Centre has recently put these drugs under the category of Scheduled Drugs and has banned them.

Earlier this year, officers of the Narcotics Control Bureau had busted drug rackets in Bengaluru and Goa. "Drugs were seized from the traffickers which they claimed were LSD. Even the recipients of drugs are being told that the drugs were LSD. However, when we got the seized contraband tested, it revealed that the drugs were NBOMe. Subsequently, other raids and cases made out against the drug syndicates revealed that at least eight other new drugs were already been pumped in the market. We then wrote to the central government requesting them to put these drugs under the category of scheduled drugs," said an NCB official, requesting anonymity.

"It has been observed that NBOMe has different variations in the process of replacing LSD. All these party drugs give you a high and their effect lasts for at least three to four hours. These drugs are smuggled from abroad in crystal form. They have not yet been given any nicknames and are known in the market by their international non-properietary names. While basic drugs such as opium and marijuana can easily be identified, these new party drugs are prepared in powdered form and are difficult to get identified and can easily be adulterated. Production of these drugs is also easy and can be prepared in small labs. NBOMe can be taken as a liquid, a powder, or as a tab on a blotter paper under the tongue," said the official.

Another disturbing trend that has come to the notice of the NCB is that peddlers earlier used to supply drugs in large quantities, but now they supply drugs less than commercial quantity. "For example, if earlier peddlers used to supply 50 grams which is a commercial quantity of Mephedrone, they now sell the same in non-commercial quantity. This helps them get bail easily from the court," the official said.

What is being peddled?

Drugs that have been banned are N-Benzylpiperazine, JWH- 018, AM-2201, MDPV, Methylone, AH-7921, 25B NBOMe, 25C NBOMe and 25I NBOMe (all are international non-properietary names).