Shillong, March 11: In a worrying development, drug trafficking is rising in Garo Hills region with West Garo Hills in particular witnessing increase in local drug victims and the plain belt areas emerging as a growing hotspot due to its location.

The plain belt region is located along the Meghalaya – Assam border and is in close proximity to West Bengal via the Brahmaputra River as well to the international border with Bangladesh. It consists of areas like Tikrikilla, Phulbari, Rajabala, Selsella, Mahendraganj.

Replying to a query in the Assembly on Tuesday, Social Welfare Minister Paul Lyngdoh alluded to the plain belt’s location as the reason for the growing drug trafficking in Garo Hills as he mentioned that drugs peddlers and smugglers of plain belt areas and those of neighbouring states and Bangladesh are increasing in the region.

He said that in the recent months, from January 2025 till date, one drug related case has been detected and registered in the plain belt areas of West Garo Hills district in Tillapara Bongarpar, Tikrikilla and the case has been registered with the Tikrikilla police station under the relevant sections of the NDPS Act, 1985.

Further, the minister informed that the Anti Narcotic Task Force (ANTF) has been formed in the District in order to combat drug trafficking and other NDPS related cases in the District.

Additionally, Lyngdoh informed that treatment facilities for drug addiction are available at Tura Civil Hospital, supported by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India.

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