KOCHI: Jails in the state are becoming safe havens for ganja trade. The shadow police arrested two people who supply ganja to the jail inmates and one was caught from the court premise in Kochi last week. There are reports that ganja and brown sugar are being supplied to prisoners on remand on the Ernakulam District Court premises.Official sources said that persons posing as clerks and relatives of inmates are among those involved in the drug trade. The peddlers push drugs to the prisoners without the knowledge of the police escorts. This occurs when the court premises are so crowded that police fail to notice such incidents.Several gangs having links with criminals in the city are suspected to be involved in the drug trade centred in the district court. The drug-for-cash transactions are done when the detainees wait at the crowded corridor of the court or when they go to the toilet.Transactions also take place when the prisoners are taken to coffee shops outside to have food when the court proceedings are delayed.An Excise official who demanded anonymity said that such cases are regular and the police are directed to be on their toes and prevent such incidents.Often, relatives or friends buy the drug on behalf of the prisoners. Possession of ganja or brown sugar is something common in jails and several persons were caught in this connection. Last month a checking of sub-jails in the district was conducted on the judicial directive.Assistant Commissioner (Special Branch) M V Ramesh who is in charge of the shadow police said that the ganja mafia at times would influence the police. “We don’t deny such incidents. Such transaction occur when the crowds on the court premises are high or when the accused go to toilet.The person who was arrested by the shadow police last day was active in this trade for the past four or five years and has been listed in several other cases. After questioning him, we have received information about many others involved in the racket” M V Ramesh said.
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