Nagaland remains a conduit for drug traffickers

Kohima, June 26 (EMN): While the number of drug users in Nagaland may have declined in the recent years, the state continues to be a conduit route for drug traffickers due to its close proximity to the so called Golden Triangle, especially with Myanmar.

Making this observation at an event marking the International Day against Drug Abuse & Illicit Trafficking in Kohima at Hotel Japfü today, Inspector General of Police (CID) Kewetso Mero highlighted official statistics of drugs seized from January 2016 to date and expressed concern that the figures indicate the huge volume of drugs that crosses the state.

Statistics of drugs seized, cases registered and people arrested from January 2016 till date:

“With the expertise that we have or the lack of it, including the lack of will to really search and eliminate the trafficking, the quantity detected and seized may just be the tip of the iceberg only,” Mero stated.

He voiced concern that the state was not fully equipped in terms of manpower, technology and knowledge. Towards this, he admitted that the police department itself still has much to invest on.

Mero also observed that most people were complacent in the belief that users, as compared to seizures, were relatively less. However, he felt that a day may soon come when that complacency will be shattered and the people suddenly realize that Nagaland was not only the conduit but also a big user.

Mero pointed out that the drug scene in the state was slowly beginning to change of late as the local people were ‘slowly and discreetly’ turning to cultivation, particularly of cannabis. He explained that this was due to the plant being economically lucrative – with minimum maintenance required, the soil and climate in the state being favourable, high demand in the market especially outside the state, good harvest and processing method etc.

He stated that the danger also lays in the indifferent attitude of the people- the ‘lack of shock’ in learning of such crops being grown and trafficked in the state. This trend needs to be addressed urgently and taken seriously by all sections of society, he said.

The police officer also mentioned that in June 2016, the Hyderabad-based Advance Data Processing Research Institute (ADRIN) had caught satellite images of what was believed to be poppy cultivation in Peren and Phek districts. However, he said, on physical verification by NCB officials, it was found to be cardamom cultivation but the point was that scientific technology available today could, with the modern GPS system, locate such fields.

The presence of technology for detection could be made known to the people to discourage people from going into such production, he remarked.

On the role of the law enforcement agencies in the drug scene, Mero stressed that the onus was not just on undertaking preventive work by apprehending drug traffickers but also sensitize the masses against the effects of drug abuse, highlight the extent of drug usage and trafficking and project the changing drug scenario taking place in the state.

Pointing out the possibility and danger that the police and the judiciary who handle such substantial quantities of highly dangerous and destructive drugs are also exposed to the means to make ‘fast buck’ by manipulating and misusing the authority thrust upon them, the official underscored the need to have an effective ‘check and balance’ system to ensure that the seized drugs do not go back to the circuit again.

“To create that difference, we need to realize that it begins with you and me, your family and my family,” he added.

Collective response to drug abuse

Coming together to respond to the challenge of drug abuse in the state, various departments and NGOs including the social welfare, police, national institute of social defence, Kripa foundation and Nagaland users network (NUN) partnered in observing the International Day against Drug Abuse & Illicit Trafficking on Monday at Hotel Japfü in Kohima.

Speaking at the event as the chief guest, MLA Dr Neikiesalie Kire emphasized on the need to revive detoxification centres and setting up of drug treatment centres in all the districts of the state.

He underscored that it was ‘high time’ to get the state’s drug policy launched last year – the ‘Nagaland State Drug Abuse Prevention & Treatment Policy 2016’ – planned and budgeted. For this, he felt all the stakeholders including the government and NGOs needed to come together and collectively take up the matter to turn the policy into a reality. He suggested that organisers of the programme should invite all the legislators to attend such events so that they (legislators) would have a better idea of the drug scenario in the state.

Kire acknowledged the people who started the movement of support and rehabilitation of alcoholics and Intravenous Drug Users (IDUs) in Nagaland for making a difference in the society when drug and substance abuse became almost a trend in the state. He called upon recovering users to share their testimonies about how they came out of their old habits, and do their part in discouraging others from falling into the same trap.

Sharing his view on the NLTP Act 1989, Kire stated that the people who drink will continue to drink even if there was prohibition, but people who do not drink will not start drinking when prohibition is lifted. He said it was due to the prohibition act that sub-standard liquor is being brought into the state and sold at very inflated price, which is not just causing a revenue loss to the state but “costing us our brothers and sisters”.

Parliamentary secretary Vikho-o Yhoshü who also attended the programme, spoke candidly about his being a recovering alcoholic and how a mild thought of ‘social drinking’ had put him and his close ones into 9-10 years of struggle until he was treated at a Kripa rehabilitation centre in 1992. On a day like today, he said, the important thing was to spread awareness not only about the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse, but also about hope and opportunity for those who are already addicted.

NSACS project director, Dr Ngangshimeren who gave a brief overview of the activities conducted by the NSACS during the last one year informed that there were 16,441 IDUs registered at the 45 targeted intervention (TI) projects across the state.

He highlighted that the problem of drug trafficking needed to be tackled in two fronts – to cut or reduce supply chain by the law enforcement agency, and to reduce social demand of abusive drugs by creating awareness at both the government and NGOs levels.

Kripa Foundation director Abou Mere spoke about the urgent need to translate the state drug policy into action. He also informed that the Union ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment will be conducting the first national survey on Extent and Pattern of Substance Use in India, and Kripa Foundation Nagaland which is also the Regional Resource & Training Centre North East 2, will take a lead in the research project with technical support from AIIMS and NISD from Delhi and Assam Medical College Dibrugarh for Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Nagaland.

In Nagaland, he said the survey will be conducted in the districts of Dimapur, Peren, Phek, Tuensang and Wokha.