With best efforts, Tripura to be 'drug free state': Deb
Agartala, June 25: The law enforcing agencies have maximised their insistent efforts to make Tripura a "drug free state" as declared by the BJP government, Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb told the Tripura assembly on Monday.
"During the first 100 days of BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) government, the law enforcing agencies, specially the police, have seized 12,035 kg dry 'ganja', various types of cough syrup, habit-forming tablets, brown sugar and heroin in Tripura," Deb, who also holds the Home portfolio, told the house.
The market value of 12,035 kg dry 'ganja' is around Rs 7.22 crore.
The Chief Minister said that as per the state government's instructions, the law enforcing agencies would intensify and continue their actions against smuggling, abuse, illegal trade and cultivation of drugs.
"The efforts of the law enforcing agencies will continue until the state becomes a 'drug free zone'. The actions and drive against the smuggling, abuse, illegal trade and cultivation of drugs were minimal during the 25-years rule of previous Left Front government causing their huge magnitude," he said detailing the comparative statistics of drug-related activities and actions.
Deb said that during the first 100 days of BJP governance in Tripura, over two lakh "ganja" plantations were destroyed in different parts of Tripura.
"With the curbing of drug-related activities, the state government is keen to diminish the crime against women. Besides the state government has taken a series of steps to check these crimes," the Chief Minister said.
In order to boost community policing, he said, PRAYAAS committee has been formed in each police station area to deal with policing. "These will involve all sections of people, including former policemen, women, veterans and renowned personalities of the locality."
"Bangladesh is our good and friendly neighbour. Various types of drugs specially the different kind of cough syrup should not be smuggled to that country from India. We have a responsibility for the welfare of Bangladesh," Deb added.
Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Assam share an 1,880 km border with Bangladesh.
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In biggest haul, drugs worth Rs 51 cr seized in Meghalaya, 2 held
Shillong (PTI): The Meghalaya Police seized drugs worth over Rs 51 crore, the biggest haul of narcotics in the state so far, in East Jaintia Hills district and arrested two Mizoram-based persons in this connection, a senior officer said on Saturday.
The seizure was made during a coordinated naka-checking conducted by the police and Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) personnel in the Ratacherra area on Friday, he said.
During the operation, a vehicle with three persons, including the driver, on board was intercepted and searched in accordance with due legal procedures.
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Upon checking, 19 plastic soap cases, containing suspected heroin weighing 203.7 grams, were recovered from the possession of one of the three persons, the officer said.
The search of the vehicle led to the recovery of a blue-coloured trolley bag belonging to another occupant of the vehicle.
Suspected crystal meth (methamphetamine) tablets weighing 10.145 kilograms were found in the bag, the police officer said.
'Meth' tablets are banned in India.
Two of the three occupants of the vehicle were arrested, and a preliminary investigation suggested that they are part of an interstate and cross-border drug trafficking syndicate, the officer said.
"The total value of the seized contraband is estimated to be around Rs 51.13 crore", ANTF chief Vikash Kumar told PTI.
The arrested persons hail from Mizoram, he said.
A case has been registered at the ANTF police station, and an investigation is underway to establish the forward and backward linkages related to the seizure, the officer added.
