Drugs take cover in new names

PLOY Karachi, Bazooka, Atom Bomb, Black Russian, Parachute and Pikachu are street lingo for drugs that traders use to go undetected, says Delhi police

NEW DELHI: Karachi, Bazooka, Atom Bomb, Black Russian, Parachute and Pikachu are neither weapons nor cartoon characters. They are not related to either Pakistan or Russia. Nor do they have anything to do with fireworks.

They are street lingo for popular drug cocktails, the Delhi Police have found.

A senior Delhi Police officer said that such terms are usually used by local drug traders so that their business can be carried on, undiscovered. Deputy commissioner of police (New Delhi), Madhur Verma, said, “We have come across certain slang terms used by the drug syndicates to keep their business hidden. While ‘Karachi’ is a code used for heroin mixed with phenobarbital (a sleeping drug) and methaqualone (a depressant), the word ‘Bazooka’ is used to refer to a mixture of crack cocaine and marijuana. ‘Atom Bomb’ is the code for marijuana and heroin mixed together.”

Such drug cocktails are popular in rave parties, he added.

Most deals are struck over the phone and many times, the police get tips from informers. Both become difficult when street lingo is used for drugs.

Verma confirmed the police has, in recent months, seized sig- nificant quantities of methaqualone, ecstasy, and methamphetamine. Most are being pumped into the capital from across the border (Pakistan) and being transported to the party hubs of the city, he added.

A second police officer, who did not wish to be named explained that a mixture of hashish and opium together is referred to as Black Russian,

while that of crack and heroin is ‘Parachute’. ‘Pikachu’ is the code for small pills containing phencyclidine (hallucination drug) and ecstasy, he said.

DCP Verma said that the terms themselves are new and came to light in the wake of the recent seizures.

“The Delhi Police in May last year seized 6.5 lakh tablets of maphedron and methaqualone worth R30 crore. In June last year an international syndicate involved in smuggling of contraband drug ‘MDMA’ (methylenedioxymethamphetamine) which is a party drug popularly known as ICE was busted. The value of ICE seized was R40 crore,” he added.

The DCP said drug-trafficking has become a great challenge for the police and related agencies. “Drug syndicates use these slang terms to keep themselves away from police suspicion (while striking deals). We have intensified operations against the use of drugs in the capital and every police district has a dedicated Special Narcotics Unit for this purpose. We also have an elite investigation unit of narcotics in the our crime branch.”