With Christmas just around the corner, the police have issued an alert to the public, particularly women, to be mindful of drugs that are being used by rapists to trap their targets at parties, social gatherings and other places.
The drugs are believed to be used to lace the food, drinks or water of victims.
Users usually crush the pills and add it to food, dissolve it in a drink or inject it; some also snort the powder or sprinkle it on marijuana and smoke it.
Warning
One drug the police have recently identified as one which is taken orally is said to be a tranquilizer about 10 times more potent than Valium which is sometimes used to treat sleep disorders such as insomnia and as a pre-medication in surgical procedures.
The effects of the drug can last between 18 and 26 hours, and traces of it can be found in the blood and urine.
Abuse
In a crime prevention alert signed by the Director-General of the Public Affairs Department of the Ghana Police Service, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Mr David Eklu, he stated that rapists had been abusing the medicines due to their ability to cause sedation and amnesia by adding or lacing drinks or food for their potential victims.
Effects of the drugs begin 20 minutes after they have been administered.
In some cases, some victims have their eyes open and they are able to observe events but completely unable to move.
Afterwards, the victims’ memory is impaired and they cannot recall anything that happened.
An overdose of the drugs may not only cause long-term sedation but poor balance and speech.
In serious overdoses, people may have breathing problems, go into a coma or die.
Security measure
ACP Eklu, however, advised women, who go to parties and other social events, to buy their own drinks and serve themselves if possible.
“Do not leave your drinks on the table in case of attending to call of nature at social gatherings,” he said.
Also, ladies who attend social gatherings have been warned to “be careful of male friends.”
Other issues
The police also alerted the public on some other current crime trends such as home security and road safety and urged the public to step up their personal security consciousness.
They urged the public to clear weedy surroundings or houses as criminals could use that as a cover to strike.
Additionally, the public must ensure their surroundings were illuminated.
To avert road accidents, the police urged motorists to desist from drink-driving, speeding and talking on the phone while driving.
