Nagaland used as a corridor for drug traf ficking

Dimapur , June 27 : Nagaland registered a total of 427 alcohol and drug related offences during the past 18 months. IGP (Crime), K Mero made the revelation at a programme held in Kohima on June 26 commemorating the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Traf ficking. A total of 560 persons were also arrested in connection with the cases during the period (January 2016-June 2017). Contraband haul during the same period comprised an assortment of drugs from psychotropic pharmaceuticals to hard party drugs and IMFL. Mero said the seized contrabands included 9711 kg of Ganja, 63.75 kg of opium, 12gm of heroin, 4.57 kg of brown sugar , 1 kg of yaba, 527,626 capsules of spasmo proxyvon, 8484 tablets of nitrgogen, 3 tablets of diazepam, 12, 297 bottles of cough syrup and 202,9191 bottles of IMFL. The statistics alone however may not project the ground reality as according to Mero, “W ith the expertise that we have or the lack thereof, including a lack of will to really search and eliminate trafficking, the quantity detected and seized may just be the tip of the iceberg.” “Much more must be crossing the state – the ready and processed products as well as the raw materials including the chemicals that are needed for such processing.” Citing that he pointed to an apparent helplessness of the enforcement agencies lacking manpower , gadgets and the knowledge to identify and detect chemical drugs. “The police department itself has a lot to invest on,” Mero said. While the enforcement agencies have their drawbacks, he was also critical of a perceived complacent attitude of citizens towards drug trafficking and usage