Psychedelic: Sources say tourists ask for the drug to feel 'centred'

Kullu police have booked over 60 foreigners under the NDPS Act in the last 10 years. More than one lakh foreign tourists flock to the district every year, most heading for Kasol, Old Manali, Vashisht, Naggar, Jana, Hallan, Malana, Pulga and Tosh villages.Given the numbers, the area is becoming a hotspot of international crime. In the last five years, as many as 44 foreign tourists were booked under the NDPS Act for ferrying or consuming charas and 16 were booked under the Foreigner Act for visa overstay.Sources in the police and administration said most foreign tourists visit Kullu looking for high quality but cheap charas, which is commonly available here. Tourists stay in villages for months, rarely going sightseeing or trekking. They spend their days mostly in a particular village or travelling from one village to the other.Data from the tourism and civil aviation department shows that the number of foreign tourists visiting Kullu has decreased over the last three years. This is believed to be because of recession in European countries.Although backpackers visit Kullu through the year, peak season is between June and October. Many tourists have married locals. Others are regular visitors, making a trip at least once a year.Sources said most foreign tourists visiting Kullu are from Israel and they are heavily into marijuana. In 2013, former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said, "Once when I was introducing myself to a representative of the Israeli senate in an international conclave, he left me stunned saying that he has heard about Kasol where high quality marijuana is available. He said a large number of people in Israel rush to Kasol to beat stress by smoking marijuana after completing mandatory military services."Foreign tourists prefer staying in rented rooms and guest houses in villages rather than luxury hotels. Most belong to Israel, Italy, France, Russia, UK and USA.The heavy flow of foreign tourists and drug dealing take a toll. In the last 10 years, two foreign tourists were raped and five died of drug overdose. A total of 21 foreigners have gone missing in Kullu since 1992.Sources said a few foreign nationals have been funding local villagers to grow cannabis in remote areas of the Kullu valley. “A man has been visiting Parvati valley for years and is friends with me. He used to give me financial help to grow charas and used to sell it outside Himachal, giving me part of the profit. Such financers are almost lost now with the police starting a widespread cannabis destruction campaign in the last few years. Now, there are only a few people in the business and they are producing charas with the help of labourers from Nepal and Bihar," of Parvati valley said.Charas helps boost village tourism?Most foreign tourists love staying in villages, mostly in remote areas and can be seen smoking marijuana alone or in groups. Sources said villagers provide them with charas to make them stay longer.