Babul, the menace to schoolchildren

By Jayampathy JAYASINGHE

Babul Hans betel imported from South East Asia is being sold openly by vendors at kiosks in the vicinity of schools to lure schoolchildren to become potential addicts. The betel leaves laced with mild drugs help children to become addicted to it. However, the danger is that when children become addicted to it they crave for more potent drugs such as marijuana, heroin and ecstasy, according to health officials.

Police last week launched several raids on Karoke clubs on a directive by IGP, Mahinda Balasuriya. Defence Secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa told a ceremony last week that the priorities of the Police Department have changed following the defeat of LTTE terrorism. To fulfil the aspirations of the people the police should now act to eradicate crime in the country. Crime was a byproduct of terrorism that had plagued the country during the past three decades, he said.

Following the Defence Secretary's directive the police intensified raids on several Karoke clubs in the city of Colombo and its suburbs against criminal elements. Several suspects were arrested for violating the Excise Ordinance.

Babul detected at a two-storeyed building in Sea Street, Colombo last week.

The Central Anti Vice Striking Force (CAVSF) was tipped off last week that kiosks in the vicinity of schools in Colombo and its suburbs were engaged in selling Baul Hans betel and other varieties of tobacco to schoolchildren.

Police said that gullible schoolchildren fall victims to the Babul menace. Schoolchildren addicted to Babul encourage their classmates and friends to indulge in chewing Babul. The children, however, get hooked on to Babul because of its intoxicating effect. "When children realise that Babul isn't strong enough they move to more potent drugs such as heroin, marijuana or ecstasy to keep the drug habit alive," a senior police officer said.

A survey has revealed that children purchase Babul from vendors near schools before the commencement of school or after school. Teachers too have complained that children who consume Babul during school hours are in a state of intoxication and unable to concentrate on their studies.

They can be easily identified with their blood-shot eyes, teachers said. But children who chew Babul cannot be identified as it does not have any pungent odour. Police have learnt that vendors employ schoolchildren as agents to propagate and sell Babul. Unscrupulous vendors know that engaging children was the best way to sell Babul. They know the best way to carry on with their nefarious trade. Vendors also know that by word of mouth Babul can be popularised among schoolchildren. However, vendors adopt different ploys to rope in children. Sometimes they provide free Babul to schoolchildren and also sell it at concessionary rates. Vendors care less about the well-being of schoolchildren becoming addicts. What they care is about the continuity of their lucrative trade engaging schoolchildren.

CAVSF OIC, Inspector Duminda Balasooriya with a contingent of 45 police officers last week conducted 24 lightning raids on kiosks that sell Babul to schoolchildren. The dawn to dusk raids were carried out in Pettah, Grandpass, Dehiwela, Wellawatte, Bambalapitiya, Kotahena and in the Moratuwa areas.

Twenty four vendors with 45 killogrammes of Babul were arrested following these raids. The suspects were from Keselwatte, Wellawatte, Grandpass and the Moratuwa areas. Meanwhile police stormed into a two-storeyed building at Sea Street, where they found 24 kilos of Babul in 20,000 sachets. The vendors were getting ready to distribute the sachets among agents in Colombo and its suburbs.

The two-storeyed building had been used as a Babul manufacturing and distributing centre although it had a valid licence to manufacture beedi and other tobacco products. A suspect linked to the Babul operation was arrested having Babul in his possession. The 24 suspects arrested in this connection were handed over to police stations to be produced in Court. A senior police officer said that raids on Babul vendors will continue in the future.

Police believe that over 1,000 kiosks are near schools in Colombo and its suburbs. Babul betel is sold at Rs. 7-8 to schoolchildren who chew them with arecanuts. Schoolchildren are increasingly exposed to the Babul menace, police said. Babul is imported from South East Asian countries. In 2004, the Customs seized a consignment of Babul at a container yard. A businessman who tried to clear the 20 ft container with 420 packets of Babul was questioned by the Customs. In 2008, seven persons were arrested for selling Babul near schools in Anuradhapura. The main suspect had told the police that the Babul priced at Rs. 30 was sold to schoolchildren at Rs. 1.50 to lure them in to the habit of chewing it.