Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Tuesday congratulated Meghalaya police for seizing drugs worth over Rs 300 crores in last 2 years as the drug trafficking cases are on rise in the state. Giving insight to the increasing drug menace in the state Director General of Police Dr LR Bishnoi said Meghalaya is no more the drug transit route as it has turn out to be the destination. He also informed that Meghalaya has close proximity to Golden triangle of drugs.
The number of drug abuser in the state are continuously increasing as the problem of drug menace are no longer confined to urban areas as it has reached to the rural areas.
“The number of drug abuser in the state is continuously increasing. Meghalaya has close proximity to notorious Golden triangle or the devil’s triangle. Earlier, Meghalaya was a transit route, now it has become destination,”
Stating that not just the men but also women are also widely using drugs, the DGP expressed concern that Children of the age group of 12-13 years are indulging in Drug trafficking.
“Domestic ambiance is one of the main reason, when the atmosphere in the family is not proper, the children will remain under stress and sometimes because of anxiety and stress they resort to drugs. Second is the academic pressure also cause pressure,” the DGP said.
Providing a snapshot of the current situation, Dr. Bishnoi underscored the need for heightened awareness and prevention efforts, citing toxic domestic environments and academic pressures as significant contributors to the youth turning to substance abuse.
Giving the details of the two years seizure lists, the DGP said, “116 drug-related cases in 2022 only NDPS cases registered , while in 2023 we have registered 183 cases that shows an upward trend. In 2022 we have arrested 234 drug traffickers and till 4th December 2023, the number has gone upto 349 arrested so you can say that the drug trafficking is also on the rise. In 2022 we have seen police have seized 7.5 kg and in 2023 till today we have seized 16.7 kg of heroin, and 1 kg of heroin has the capacity to make two thousand youth drug addicts. The Cannabis (Marijuana) in 2022 the state police seized 1400 Kg but in 2023 the seizure has gone upto 4000 kg. The yaba tablets last year we seized 13 thousand tablets, while this year the seizure of yaba tablets has gone upto 61 thousand. “
The DGP commended the ongoing awareness programs and said that various awareness programmes have already been conducted across the State.
Bishnoi further said the state Government in the month of April has sanctioned Rs 1.5 crore machineries for the Forensic Science Laboratory.
“Earlier we used to send our samples for testing outside the state like Mizoram, Assam, Ahmedabad and Chandigarh, now our Forensic Science Laboratory is well equipped to test all kinds of samples of Narcotic-Drugs and Psychotropic Substances,” he added.
He also spoke about PITNDPS cases.
The DGP was addressing the gathering at the DREAM programme of the state Government which is an acronym for Drug Rehabilitation, Elimination and Action Mission and Community-State Forum BUILD, an acronym for Bringing Unity in Locale Against Drugs are programs of the Social Welfare program in drug abuse elimination and rehabilitation of abusers.