SHILLONG, MAR 5: Drugs worth over Rs 300 crore have been seized from Meghalaya during the last two years even as Director General of Police (DGP) Dr LR Bishnoi said the problem is still very serious in view of the state’s close proximity with the Golden Triangle.

“Nearly Rs 300 crore drugs have been recovered during the last two years of which Rs 75 crore drugs were recovered in 2022, Rs 170 crore in 2023 and Rs 21 crore during the first two months of 2024,” Bishnoi told reporters.

A total of 26 kgs of heroin was seized in the last two years. This includes 7.5 kgs of heroin in 2022, 16.3kgs in 2023 and nearly 1 kg heroin in January-February, 2024.

The recovery and seizure of marijuana has gone to 4,750 kgs in 2024 (the seizure was made by Ri Bhoi police) from 1400 kgs in 2023 and 3987 kgs in 2022.

The DGP also felicitated the Ri Bhoi police for their achievement in seizing first grade ganja on Sunday.

“The operation done by Ri Bhoi police and seizing 4750 kgs pure grade marijuana and mainly the initial point was Tripura and from this it was passing through Meghalaya and we were able to nab the culprits and now the case is under investigation,” he said.

The recovery of yaba tablets have also increased during the period in which nearly 19000 tablets were recovered in 2022, 60,000 tablets recovered in 2023 and 2000 tablets in 2024. The seizure of other psychotropic tablets include 16928 in 2022, 32,298 in 2023, and 600 in 2024.

Also for the first time, police have also recovered 14.2kg of crystal meth worth Rs 1.5 crore.

Further, a total of 116 NDPS cases were registered in 2022 and this has gone up to 189 in 2023 while a total of 13 cases have already been registered during the first two months of the New Year.

Over 610 people have been arrested from 2022 to 2024. Of this, 234 persons were arrested in 2022, 355 in 2023 and 25 in 2024. 10% of the arrested persons are women traffickers.

Also, 19 were identified as repeat offenders, of which 8 cases of PITNDPS proposal has been submitted to the court and now the advisory board will take decision, Bishnoi said.

Stating that the problem of drug menace is still very serious in Meghalaya, the DGP said, “This is because of its close proximity to the golden triangle area. Earlier, it was a transit but now it has become the destination and traffic both.”

He said that the number of drug users in the state are continuously increasing and is a cause of concern for all.

“To tackle this menace, the Meghalaya police have adopted certain strategy like creating awareness particularly among the youth by organizing awareness programmes in the schools and university and continuous operation against the drug traffickers,” Bishnoi said while adding that many of the drug traffickers are repeated offenders and many are inter-state gang and Meghalaya police is committed to prevent this menace.

Further, the DGP said, “We are also using technology to nab the drug traffickers and CID playing a pivotal role in using technology to trace the backward and forward linkages of the traffickers. We are also sharing inputs with adjoining states so that coordinated efforts can be put to control this problem.”

“Other than that, we are also associating ourselves with the rehabilitation process and in many police stations, the counselling cells are opened so they also started counselling to the drug victims by inviting the family members as well. The CM has a vision of drug free Meghalaya and we will continuously put our efforts by using social media tweets,” he added.

During the last two years, 28,000 bottles of cough syrup were seized in 2022, 88000 in 2023 and nearly 112 in 2024. Besides cash of Rs 36 lakh was also recovered in 2022, Rs 45.6 lakh in 2023 and Rs 60,000 in 2024. The total number of vehicles seized in 2022 is 67, 157 in 2023 and 12 in 2024.

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