Guwahati, July 12 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister on Sunday said that his government would intensify its fight against drug trafficking over the next five years, asserting that coordinated action by northeastern states could end Assam’s use as a transit corridor for narcotics.

Launching the state-wide Drugs Disposal Campaign at the 14th Assam Police Battalion campus at Doulashal in Nalbari district, the Chief Minister said the government would adopt even more stringent measures against drug traffickers while appealing to people to actively support the anti-narcotics drive.

As part of the campaign, Assam Police began the disposal of narcotic substances worth Rs 472.51 crore seized in various operations across the state. The destroyed contraband includes heroin, ganja, methamphetamine and Yaba tablets, morphine, opium, cough syrup, tablets and capsules, besides other banned substances.

The Chief Minister inaugurated a secure drug disposal machine installed with assistance from the Central government and formally launched the destruction process by crushing seized narcotics with a road roller.

Similar disposal drives are being conducted simultaneously across all districts.

Sarma said it would take around 10 days to destroy the seized narcotics, adding that the specialised disposal machine was being used for the first time in Assam.

According to official figures, the disposal exercise covers 58.88 kg of heroin, nearly 38,000 kg of ganja, around 2.29 lakh bottles of cough syrup, 39 kg of morphine, about 18.71 lakh methamphetamine and Yaba tablets, and nearly 4.97 lakh tablets and capsules.

The Chief Minister said Assam Police has registered 3,300 cases under the NDPS Act during the last five years and seized narcotics worth Rs 3,227 crore.

Describing Assam as a key transit route for heroin, methamphetamine and Yaba tablets smuggled from Myanmar to other parts of the country, Sarma stressed the need for stronger intelligence gathering, greater use of technology and enhanced inter-state coordination.

He said sustained cooperation among Assam, Manipur, Mizoram and West Bengal, coupled with stringent punishment for offenders, could significantly curb the drug trade.

–IANS

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