Fulfilling National Duty: CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

 Operation against drugs to continue unabated

NAGAON/HOJAI: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that by acting against drug trafficking and disposing of the seized drugs by way of burning, the State government is performing its duty to the nation.

Speaking at a programme organized at Rangajan stadium, Barhampur in Nagaon district on Sunday to dispose of the seized drugs worth Rs 36 crore, the Chief Minister said that because of its proximity to Golden Triangle, Assam has long been used as a transit route for drug trafficking to other parts of the country. By acting against the drug traffickers, the government not only put a spanner on drugs trading but also stopped the flow of drugs through the state to other parts of the country.

While setting the seized drugs on fire, the Chief Minister said, "The blazing flames of the seized drugs symbolize our government's commitment to making 'Drugs Mukta Assam and the operation against drugs to continue unabated. Our government will never tolerate Assam to be used as transit routes for psychotropic substances and our youths falling prey to contraband drugs".

The Chief Minister said, "The uncompromising stand of our government has its role against the drug trafficking and as a result, the police confiscated drugs worth Rs 163.58 crore". He said, "I acknowledge the spontaneous support of the police administration and the people of Assam in destroying the seized drugs in different parts. The spontaneous support of the society at large strengthens our commitment and national duty not to allow Assam to be used as a passage for transporting drugs to other parts of the country".

He also said, "Destroying seized drugs worth Rs. 163.58 crore over the last two days speaks volumes of the amount of money involved in drugs trading. The trading involves evasion of GST which serves a dent in the nation's economy. Assam Government is committed to acting against this trading and it is working in coordination with Manipur and Nagaland to wipe out the menace of drug trafficking from Assam and other Northeastern states".

In a similar programme at Hojai, the Chief Minister said since the present government assumed charge, Assam Police registered 874 cases and arrested 1493 drug dealers and seized drugs valued at Rs 163.58 crores. He also said during the last two months, Assam Police seized 19 kg Heroin, 8276 kg ganja, 14 kg opium, 67,650 numbers of cough syrup, 12,93,628 numbers tablets, 1.929 kg morphine, 3314 poppy straw, crystal meth 3 kg, cash over Rs. 1 crore, foreign currency Rs. 13,630, fake Indian currency Rs. 6,800 and destroyed 31 bigha cannabis cultivation.

Dr Sarma also said that the people involved in trading and trafficking drugs should be handed the strictest punishment as he stated that Assam Police should handle this menace without any compassion by remaining within the framework of the law of the land. Speaking on the drug addicts, Dr Sarma said that there should be proper rehabilitation so that they can return to their normal self and lead normal life. He also said that Assam Police should take the lead in starting Rehabilitation Centres to help the addicts to return to the mainstream of society.

The drug disposal programme held at Nagaon saw the destruction of heroin, brown sugar, ganja/ cannabis, opium, cough syrup, tablets, amphetamine etc. The Chief Minister also set to fire 353.62-gram heroin, 736.73 kg ganja and 45,843 tablets at Hojai.

IANS adds: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said that the drugs smuggled into India originated from Pakistan and from across the frontiers along with the northeastern states especially from Myanmar.

Sarma said that the coordinated efforts of the northeastern states would be further intensified when Union Home Minister Amit Shah would attend the meeting of the North Eastern Council on July 24. The Chief Minister said that Shah already said that drug peddling, cattle smuggling and human trafficking are the major problems of the northeastern region and these should be dealt with utmost priority and with synchronized actions among the northeastern states.

"The number of drugs seized could be only 10 per cent of what is coming to Assam, as drugs that go through Assam would be worth more than Rs 5,000 crore per year," he said.

Also Read: Assam no longer safe passage for drug traffickers, says CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

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