Shillong, September 24, 2024: The East Khasi Hills Police have been relentlessly battling the growing menace of drugs, registering a total of 250 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act from 2019 to 2024. In this period, the police have arrested 485 individuals involved in drug-related crimes.
“For the last few years, we have been fighting against the menace of drugs. The NDPS cases and the registration of such cases in our district are huge,” a police official stated. Providing a detailed breakdown, the official shared, “In 2019, we registered 52 cases and arrested 92 people. In 2020, 28 cases were registered with 45 arrests. For 2021, we saw 26 cases and 48 arrests, while 2022 saw an increase with 46 cases and 114 arrests. In 2023, the number of cases spiked, with 71 cases and 133 arrests. For 2024, from January to August, we have already registered 27 cases with 53 arrests.”
The officer further added, “From 2019 to 2024, we have registered 250 cases under the NDPS Act and arrested 485 individuals.” Alongside the arrests, significant quantities of drugs have been seized, including 16.5 kg of heroin, 2.5 kg of ganja, over 2 kg of opium, and yaba tablets.
The police have not been working alone in this fight. “We are working hard with society and other departments, especially with the Rongbah Shnongs (village heads), and we have formed many Village Defence Parties (VDP) in the villages to assist police in gathering information so that we can tackle and reduce the drug menace, especially in Shillong city,” the official explained.
While convictions are taking place, the official noted, “There is definitely conviction, but I don’t have the exact figures. Conviction is not in our hands.”
On the challenges faced by the police, the officer said, “The challenge is getting sources. It is so difficult to check each and every vehicle; it’s tough for us and a hassle for the public. However, we are working hard. I am sure with society’s help, we can curb the menace because the police alone cannot achieve 100 percent success.”
In terms of manpower, the officer mentioned, “We have a good team within the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) to tackle these issues of NDPS cases. Whatever manpower we have, we are utilizing them effectively.”