United Against Drug Menace

One of the biggest challenges the north-eastern states of India face today is illicit drug trafficking and abuse. Not only has the region become a major transit route for drug trafficking due to its proximity to the Golden Triangle—comprising Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand—particularly the porous borders with Myanmar, but it is also victimised by the widespread addiction to drugs fueled by easy availability, besides other factors like socio-economic vulnerabilities and a long history of insurgency. Nagaland Director General of Police (DGP) Rupin Sharma recently stated that the state alone has an estimated 1.2 lakh drug users; other neighbouring states, particularly Assam, Manipur and Meghalaya, are facing similar challenges. It’s a common issue, yet each state has been fighting the war on drugs independently so far. However, the complex nature of the problem calls for coordinated efforts from all states. So, the recent Regional Conference of Heads of Anti-Narcotics Task Forces (ANTFs) from eight north-eastern states and West Bengal held in Nagaland was a significant development towards curbing illicit drug trafficking and use in the region. The conference called for enhanced inter-state coordination, accountability, and intelligence-led enforcement to counter the escalating drug crisis in the region. It was a much-needed move, a move that could potentially curb the drug menace, provided it is implemented in letter and spirit and as one unit.

What the north-eastern states should acknowledge is the fact that no state can tackle the issue in isolation. For instance, ad hoc efforts made by Nagaland in the fight against drug trafficking won’t meet the desired goal if banned substances continue to be smuggled from Myanmar through Manipur, and vice versa. The situation in one state will impact the other. There is no escaping this. Given the significant social and economic toll that substance abuse has inflicted on the region, it is pertinent for the states to unite in addressing this common issue. The lack of co-ordination among law enforcement agencies—inter-state and inter-agency—across different states is one of the reasons for the failure to catch the big fish in the ocean of criminal networks, evident in the spike in arrests of drug peddlers and users, while the kingpins remain at large. Furthermore, drug trafficking does not occur in isolation, as syndicates operate across various states, regions, and even nations. So, the need of the hour is enhancement of inter-state collaboration by creating a joint anti-drug trafficking force with a robust mechanism in place for prompt exchange of information and intelligence, sharing of a database containing suspect profiles and their past records, framing of SOP to enable co-ordinated strikes and raids, etc. The transnational dimension to the issue also calls for the need to engage with neighbouring countries and organisations. Community involvement remains crucial in the war against drugs. It may take time to overcome this challenge, but persistent efforts will ultimately lead to success.