Guwahati turning into a hotbed of drug cartels & peddlers

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: It is a matter of serious concern for the general public that the 'Gateway to the Northeast' has become a hotbed of drug cartels. This is despite the fact that the police carry out routine rounds of the city areas daily. Hence, there is a need for more intensive operations by the police and security personnel to contain the mushrooming of drug cartels and peddlers.

Sources informed that the peddlers deal in marijuana (ganja or bhang), heroin, brown sugar, cocaine, WY (World Your's) tablets, various cough syrups among others.

These drug cartels operate at various levels. However, the prime concern are the peddlers who operate in a close circuit and also through mobile and other networks. All lanes are their areas of operation.

Drug peddling is a 24x7 lucrative business. These peddlers target young customers from well-to-do families. However, their network includes several rickshawallas, auto rickshaw and cab drivers, and also some panshop owners.

The drug consignments are usually transported via trains, buses, and even commercial cabs as well as many private vehicles. ISBT (Inter-State Bus Terminal) at Betkuchi and the Guwahati Railway Station at Paltan Bazar have been identified as two prime locations of these consignments. Interestingly enough, some individuals also serve as "vital carriers" of drugs.

Among the prime city areas of the drug cartels are the greater Paltan Bazar area including Rehabari, Suwagpur (opposite Apsara cinema hall); Christian Basti, Bhangagarh Hillside; Fatasil Ambari, Lal Ganesh, Gorchuk, Basistha, Six Mile, Panjabari, Noonmati, Railway Colony at Bamunimaidam, Gandhi Basti, Bhootnath, Pandu, and Jalukbari, added police sources.

According to official data of a year (from January 1, 2020 to December 30, 2020), city police has detected 106 such cases and arrested 193 persons under NDPS (Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substance Act)-1985. The police also recovered Rs 85,97,010 in cash from the accused persons. This is besides the narcotics and drugs recovered at various places of the city during the mentioned period.

The month-wise details are as follows: January (Cases: five; arrested: 10; recoveries: 51 kg & 400 gram of ganja); February (Cases: 12; arrested: 22; recoveries include ganja: 41 kg & 200 gram; heroin: 86.62 gram; and brown sugar: 64.89 gram).

The number of arrests and seizures rose from March onwards: March (Cases: 12; arrested: 20; recoveries include ganja: 2 kg & 88 gram; heroin: 1.49 gram; and brown sugar: 16.59 gram; Spas tran can plus & RTX Care cough syrup: 1319 bottles; and RC Kufr syrup: 11 bottles); April (Cases: nine; arrested: 15; recoveries include ganja: 2 kg & 45 gram; heroin: 2.95 gram; brown sugar: 13.38 gram; WY tablets: 2,000 pieces; Phenerex cough syrup: 300 bottles; Rbrexx cough syrup: 710 bottles; and Wmrex cough syrup: 298 bottles); May (Cases: nine; arrested: 18; recoveries include ganja: 2 kg & 200 gram; heroin: 18.37 gram; brown sugar: 38.96 gram; Cough syrup: 1,090 bottles; and suspected drugs powder: 28.49 gram).

Since June onwards, besides the seizure of drugs and other narcotics police also seized cash from the accused persons. June (Cases: nine; arrested: 14; cash: Rs 2,76,220; recoveries include ganja: 1 kg & 340 gram; heroin: 14.17 gram; Chlortheniramine Maleate syrup: 4,000 bottles; suspected drugs powder: 6.62 gram; and Nexa Spavar suspected drug tablets: 176 numbers); July (Cases: four; arrested: nine; cash: Rs 76,61,370; recoveries include heroin: 78.23 gram; August (Cases: six; arrested: 17; cash: Rs 3,90,230; recoveries include heroin: 148.45 gram; brown sugar: 25.53 gram; and suspected drugs powder: 135 mg); September (Cases: 11; arrested: 20; cash: Rs 2,42,320; recoveries include ganja: 7 kg & 702 gram; heroin: 2.75 gram; brown sugar: 814 gram; cough syrup: 4,780 bottles; and suspected drugs powder: 67.63 gram); October (Cases: eight; arrested: 13; cash: Rs 2,470; recoveries include ganja: 2kg & 700 gram; heroin: 1.28 gram; brown sugar: 12.20 gram; Cefrex syrup: 240 bottles; drug tablets: 60,000; Alprazolam tablet: 1,950; and suspected drugs powder: 25 gram); November (Cases: 19; arrested: 28; cash: Rs 2,400; recoveries include ganja: 16 kg & 450 gram; heroin: 666.60 gram; brown sugar: 136.76 gram; cough syrup: 1,100 bottles; cocaine: 43 gram; Skype tablets: 23 gram; WY tablets: 5 kg & 711 gram; Intoxicating substances: 44 numbers; RJT cough syrup: 8,400 bottles; and suspected charas: 445 gram); December (Cases: two; arrested: seven; cash: Rs 22,000; recoveries include heroin: 1 kg & 272 gram).

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