The Assam government has launched a massive anti-drug campaign, aiming to destroy seized narcotic substances worth over Rs 400 crore. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma kicked off the campaign by driving a road roller over hundreds of seized cough syrup bottles. The state government has resolved to end Assam’s use as a transit route for drugs.
The Assam Police is destroying seized narcotics in different parts of the state, with a total market value of Rs 472.51 crore. This includes 58.88 kg of heroin valued at Rs 117.75 crore, 37,796.34 kg of ganja valued at Rs 188.98 crore, 2,29,449 cough syrup bottles valued at Rs 22.94 crore, 18,70,922 Yaba tablets valued at Rs 78.84 crore, 39.07 kg of morphine valued at Rs 39.07 crore, and 79.77 kg of opium valued at Rs 3.98 crore. The majority of these substances are being destroyed at the 14th Assam Police Battalion campus in Nalbari district, which has been equipped with an incinerator.
Speaking at the launch of the drive, Chief Minister Sarma stated that the state government will further crack down on drug distribution networks in the state. He expressed concern about Assam growing as a transit route for heroin, methamphetamine, and Yaba tablets, which enter the country from Myanmar through Manipur and Mizoram, and are smuggled through Assam to different parts of the country. Sarma mentioned that in the last five years, 3,300 cases were registered under the NDPS Act and narcotics substances worth Rs 3,227 were seized.
However, he acknowledged the challenges in taking action against the ‘kingpins’ in the drug trade, citing inter-state and international networks. Sarma emphasized the need for relentless efforts from the governments of Manipur, Mizoram, Assam, and West Bengal to fight against drug traffickers and give them exemplary punishment. According to Special DGP (CID) M P Gupta, most of the seizures are made in districts bordering Mizoram and Manipur, and then further down the transit route towards Guwahati, such as Cachar, Sribhumi, Karbi Anglong, Dima Hasao, and Nagaon.
