DO not mistake Kali Mist, White Widow, Parbati and Shiv Baba for names of deities or tourist destinations, as they along with Cerebral seeds, Tosh Special and AK-47 are the brand names of narcotics that originate in the Kulu valley.

With Kulu, also known as the Valley of Gods, emerging as the hub of illegal narcotics trade, the Kulu police has prepared a comprehensive data bank of the names of over a dozen international smugglers wanted in connection with drug trafficking and another 200 suspected to be indulging in it on a smaller scale. "Though we have got some major successes in the recent past in terms of big drug seizures, this is just the tip of the iceberg and a lot more still needs to be done," admitted Venugopal, Superintendent of Police, Kulu. Despite being illegal, opium cultivation is still undertaken on a large scale in many parts of Kulu and is eventually smuggled out. The large scale on which it is being cultivated by the villagers can be gauged by the fact that the district police claims to have destroyed opium worth Rs 2 crore in the Sainj valley during the recent past.

A close look at the police record of foreigners booked under the NDPS Act reveals that Israelis followed by Italian and British nationals are most frequently involved with drug smuggling. Locals say that sincere police action against drug trafficking during the last two years has led to vast improvement in the situation, "Prior to the police did little to tackle the illegal trade even though it was aware of the operations as it was given a share in the booty," locals allege. Even some foreigners admit that the police is now tackling the drug menace earnestly and has made a difference.

The SP, Venugopal, said that almost 50 per cent of the foreigners visiting Kulu district came there because of the lure of drugs. The police has classified these foreigners into different categories. The more affluent visitor who comes for a week to-ten-day holiday and generally travels by air or a private vehicle is generally not a suspect. Those in their mid-forties who lead a comfortable life in India, live off their pension and keeping away from any illegal activities are also considered to be above suspicion. It is those foreigners who make requent visits to Kulu as also to places like Goa, Malaysia and Kathmandu, who frequently indulge in narcotics trade. There have been many instances where such foreigners have back to Kulu for drugs even after being deported.

Though police action has checked drug trafficking in Kulu district but it seems to be more of a socio-economic problem whose solution does not lie in policing alone.