GUWAHATI, STAFF REPORTER:
Guwahati As Transit Route for Drug Trafficking: In the last couple of years, Guwahati has turned into a major transit route for smuggling of drugs. Guwahati has a strategic advantage for drug traffickers to reach other metropolitan cities due to its border with other north-eastern States that share their borders with Myanmar. With youths of the age group 18-35 are addicted to illegal substances, the City Police are on their toes to tackle the menace.
According to a police source, drugs reach Guwahati through various routes. "Mainly drugs are brought from Myanmar through Moreh, a town located along Manipur-Myanmar border. Through various routes – Manipur-Numaligarh-Tezpur, Manipur-Jiribam-Silchar-Guwahati, etc – the consignments reach Guwahati. From Guwahati, such consignments are sent to other parts of the country. Bulk of the ganja and opium smuggled from Tripura, Manipur and Dimapur is sent to Bihar and Uttar Pradesh," the police said. [Also Read: Are Militants Involved in Guwahati Drugs Smuggling/Trafficking?]
With illegal substances glutting the market in Guwahati, a large number of college students, including girls, have also been roped in drug abuse. The source has underlined that during counselling it has come to light that most of the youths take to drugs to get rid of family tensions.
"A few young addicts have revealed that their unhomely family life compels them to fall prey to the menace. While some parents are abusive to each other, some are alcoholic," the source added.
The areas like Sixmile, Lal Ganesh, Udalbakra, Basistha, Lokhra, ISBT, Gorchuk, Jalukbari, Pandu, Bhootnath, Aanth Gaon, Uzanbazar, Paltan Bazar, Rail Gate (Panbazar), Birubari, Manipuri Basti, Bamunimaidam etc are drug hotspots in the city.
Recently, the Guwahati Crime Branch arrested a businessman from Fancy Bazar for investing money in drug trafficking.
Last year, 106 cases of drug trafficking were registered under the NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) Act leading to the arrest of 193 in the city. A total of Rs 85,97,010 were seized in drug related cases. The seized drugs include – 128.322 kg ganja, 1.570 kg brown sugar, 2.620 kg heroin, 13608 bottles of cough syrups, 127.875 gm of suspected narcotic substance, 2176 psychotropic tablets, 60,000 tablets of suspected psychotropic substance, 1950 Alprazolam tablets, 240 Cefrex syrup bottles, 445 gm suspected charas, 43 gm cocaine, 23 gm Skype tablets, 5.711 kg WY tablets, 8,400 RJT cough syrup bottles etc.