"112 arrested in 9 months": Dibrugarh Police destroys narcotics worth Rs 1.4 crore on anti-drug day
Dibrugarh, June 26
Police forces across India marked the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on Friday by destroying seized narcotics worth crores of rupees, as Union Home Minister Amit Shah called for a "detect, deduct and destroy" strategy against drug trafficking networks.
In Assam's Dibrugarh, police destroyed seized narcotics worth approximately Rs 1.4 crore, including 271 grams of brown sugar and 77 kg of ganja.
Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) Akhilesh Singh said the drugs disposed of had been seized over the last 9 months. "On International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, Dibrugarh Police conducted disposal of drugs seized in the last 9 months. The drugs disposed of today include 271 gm Brown Sugar and 77kg Ganja worth Rs 1.4 crores. In 67 drug-related cases registered in Dibrugarh, 112 people have been arrested in the last nine months," he said.
In Himachal Pradesh, the Kangra Police destroyed narcotics worth Rs 4.25 crore scientifically at the Suraksha bio-sanitiser plant in Dhugiyari village of Kangra district.
Speaking to ANI, Superintendent of Police Kangra Kulbhushan Verma said the destroyed substances included 15 kg of hash, 900 grams of heroin, poppy husk and opium plants, all seized in 73 different cases in Kangra district since 2014.
"We are here to observe International Day Against Drug Abuse, and on this day we have destroyed drugs and narcotics which have been seized in various cases since 2014 and have also been decided by the court of law, so today we destroyed the drugs worth rupees 4.24 crore scientifically here in a 'Suraksha bio-sanitiser' plant in Dhugiyari village of Kangra district," he said.
Earlier in the day, Shah addressed the 10th Apex-Level Meeting of the Narco-Coordination Centre in New Delhi, stressing that the next 3 years would be decisive in India's fight against narcotics. He urged states to strengthen coordination, real-time intelligence sharing and enforcement against drug syndicates.
"Today, our country stands at such a delicate juncture in the battle against narcotics that the coming 3 years will determine whether addiction conquers us or we conquer addiction. For the future of our nation over the next 100 years, we must collectively fight this with unwavering resolve. For this, all governments must come together on a single platform. We must also include saints who guide the public, youth who shape the future, and the power of motherhood," Shah said.
The International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is a United Nations observance marked every year on June 26. The day aims to spread awareness about the harmful effects of drug use and to strengthen the fight against drug abuse and the illegal drug trade.
It has been observed since 1989. June 26 was chosen to commemorate Chinese political philosopher and politician Lin Zexu's dismantling of the opium trade in Humen, Guangdong, which ended on June 25, 1839, just before the First Opium War in China.
— ANI
Reader Comments
The Home Minister's message is powerful - next 3 years will decide our future. But I worry about the rehabilitation side. Arresting users without helping them quit is like treating symptoms without curing the disease. Need more de-addiction centres in rural areas. 🤔
Good to see police destroying drugs scientifically in Himachal too. But why did cases from 2014 take 10 years to be resolved? Courts need to fast-track these cases. Also, the border areas are the real problem - drugs coming from Myanmar through Manipur is a big issue. Need more vigilance there.
I was in Dibrugarh last year and saw how drug abuse has destroyed families. This destruction of drugs is symbolic but we need more action - better surveillance at airports and railway stations, education in schools, and jobs for youth so they don't fall into this trap. Still, hats off to the police! 👏
Rs 1.4 crore is pocket change for drug cartels. The real issue is international trafficking networks operating with impunity. I hope the Narco-Coordination Centre actually shares intelligence between states - too many turf wars happen. Need a national policy with strict execution. Also, include spiritual leaders as Shah suggested - our culture has always said no to intoxication.
Good initiative but I'm skeptical about the numbers. Only 67 cases in 9 months in a whole district? And destroying drugs that were already seized doesn't really prevent new drugs from entering. Need more focus on the supply chain - who's growing the ganja, who's refinining the brown sugar. That's
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