Shillong, April 20: Increasing in the number of drug abuse in the city had affect the society in a large way as it has leads to rise in number of crimes like property theft besides others.
Not less than a month that the opposition raised concern in the State Legislative Assembly over the rising cases of drug abuse in the city which they observed is highest in the country, surpassing Punjab.
East Khasi Hills District Superintendent of Police, (City) Vivek Syiem on Wednesday said the number of drug related cases is increase and the number of arrests was also made in this connection, which indicates that there is a rise.
He further said it is an epidemic, a disease and is quickly spreading. It is increasing, where places which were untouched now it is touched. Syiem further adding said “We are tackling the issue on a war footing.” said Syiem further adding,
Meghalaya police is going in a strategic way in neutralising drug deal operating in the city by implement its ways and mean which includes educating the youths and carrying out massive crackdown simultaneously.
Elaborating more on the method adopted by the police in tackling the problem of drugs in the city, Syiem said that the police are not just concentrating on making arrest and seizing drugs but are also imparting knowledge to the youths in various platforms to refrain themselves from getting into drugs.
“We need a strengthen effort to handle this epidemic,” he added.
It may be mentioned that the state police and other agencies had been successful in seizing various kinds of drugs from 2013 to 2016. Some of these drugs included heroin, cannabis, cough syrup, sedatives and other substances. In the same period, 112 cases were registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
Out of these cases, 80 chargesheets were submitted. There have been 13 convictions and trial in 19 cases is on. In 30 cases, the charges could not be substantiated. One of the biggest catches in Shillong city was by customs sleuths in 2016 who recovered one kilogram of heroin along with approximately 20,000 tablets of the drug Methamphetamine (or meth) worth around Rs 3 crore in the international market.
Lately, there is a surge in crack down by the police in drug related cases in the city and police are often seen frisking vehicles and making arrests.