JOIN USWar on drugs: Assam sees rampant abuse, trafficking; Over 500 held
Assam's "war on drugs" has revealed that it is no longer just a transit route for drugs coming in from the Indo-Myanmar border, but is seeing rampant abuse that is "destroying" many families in the state.
More than 500 persons have been arrested in the past month for their alleged involvement in drug trafficking and illegal drugs worth over Rs 23 crore have been seized. These include heroin, cannabis, syrup and other psychotropic substances.
"Earlier, Assam was considered as a transit route only for the drugs pumped in through the Indo-Myanmar borders. But during the election rallies, when I visited different nook and corners of the state, many parents and local residents told me that drug abuse has become rampant," Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said recently. "Many drug users are selling properties for drugs. So we decided to launch a crackdown and asked police to adopt zero tolerance attitude," he added.
Police identified pockets where the trade is widespread and launched a drive against traffickers and sellers. "The drive will continue till we root out trafficking. Apart from the seizures and arrests, our efforts will be to ensure that those involved in such trade are chargesheeted on time for conviction in court," said a police officer, who is part of the drive.
The state government has also decided to set up seven new forensic laboratories to assist investigators in filing chargesheets with necessary evidence. "Shortage of forensic facility often led to delay in filing of chargesheets due to which the accused were granted bail. We must bridge those loopholes so that our drive to make Assam drug-free becomes successful," the CM said.
"We are also working on projects to revamp our facilities for rehabilitation of the drug users. Because without proper rehabilitation of the drugs addicts, our drive will prove futile," he said.
Similarly, the state police launched a drive against cattle smuggling, which is rampant through its border with Bangladesh. The BJP-led government in the state, after coming to power for the second consecutive term on May 2, prohibited transportation of cattle. Cattle heads are transported from states like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Bengal and are taken to neighbouring Meghalaya through Assam for smuggling to Bangladesh through the borders.