STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: In a revelation that assumes great significance in view of the rise in drug-related cases in Assam in recent times, a study published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has estimated that drugs users constitute about 2.21 per cent of the total population of the State, i.e., about 7.5 lakh people. On the other hand, the Assam Police estimates that there are about three lakh drug users in the State.
Alcohol users are not included by either agency.
Assam has been turning into a haven of drug abusers in recent times, mainly due to unabated smuggling of various illegal narcotics from across the international borders with Myanmar. The narcotics enter Assam primarily through the two neighbouring States of Mizoram and Manipur. A portion of the narcotics end up getting smuggled out to Bangladesh through several exit points along the international border. The same routes are also utilized by drug cartels to transport heroin and brown sugar.
It is pertinent to mention that drugs and psychotropic substances worth Rs 655.4 crore were seized and 4,750 people arrested in drug-related cases across Assam last year. The seized substances included 98.65 kg of heroin, 32,293.71 kg of ganja, 187.05 kg of opium, 2, 68,104 cough syrup bottles, 48,41,842 banned capsules, 4.91 kg of morphine, 14.7 kg of crystal methamphetamine, 0.31 kg of cocaine and 213.94 kg of ganja.
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