During the early 1980s a new phenomenon of drug menace entered into Nagaland and this evil has been spreading throughout the state endangering many lives, particularly the youth, said SP Narcotic N.S Rengma.
“Since then, the number of drug users and peddlers has not reduced but it is on the rise over the years, “he told a “consultation on reducing drug demand for HIV prevention” programme last week here adding that the Narcotic Cell has been established in 1992 with a view to check and curb the menace of drug using and trafficking.
Some of the Narcotic Drugs which enters Nagaland from Manipur, he said, are Ganja,
Heroin, Brown Sugar, Opium etc and some drugs entering Nagaland from Assam are
Morphine, Spasmo proxyvon, Relipen, Diazepam, Phynsydel, liquor etc.
He also stated that the main entry point of narcotic drugs to Nagaland is from the state of Manipur. “Here it is to be noted that the bulk of the consignment that enters into Nagaland is meant for destination other than Nagaland, particularly towards Assam, Bihar and Tamil Nadu. Therefore Nagaland state is used as a transit route. This is where the duties of the narcotic cell are called for.”
To curb the menace, the Anti Narcotics Task Force has set an action plan for the next five years for fighting the menace on all possible fronts.
Among other thing the Action Plan would be as follows; identification and profiling of the person engaged in productions, transportation and distribution of narcotic drugs, identification and profiling of drug users, identification of routes for drug trafficking, strict law enforcement by the intelligence gathering on narcotic. For this purpose the man power strength and equipment would need to be augmented by the state government and central government and other agencies, rehabilitation of drug users where the government agencies as well as NGOs will be involved in rehabilitating drug users.
By setting up adequate barricades on major routes and establishing a system of technological intelligence gathering to prevent this spate of menace, he said.
The basic function of the Narcotic Cell is to collect intelligence, detect the narcotic drugs and effect arrest, and prosecute the offenders under the Narcotic
Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act’1985. Accordingly Narcotic Police station was set up, located at PHQ with SP (Narcotics) as the officer-in-charge, he said.
To effectively combat drug trafficking, narcotic cell has established two check gates one at Khuzama and other at Chumukedima, he said.
Police headquarters had also issued instructions to the entire districts SPs to check such contraband items in there respective district check gates, he said.
Over the years the Narcotic Cell have been able to cultivate some reliable informers from whom actionable information are received leading to arrest of traffickers and seizure of contraband items, he said.
The SP also stated that the personnel of the Narcotic branch deployed at the two check gates are on duty round the clock and have been able to detect and arrest a good number of traffickers.
In the last 6 months, Narcotic Cell have detected and recovered the following; Total case registered- 28. Total arrested made- 33. Heroin- 87 grams, Brown Sugar-nil, Opium – 8kgs 200 grams, Ganja – 10, 491 kgs.
PUNISHMENT FOR CONTRAVENTION RELATED TO NARCOTIC DRUGS PSYCHOTROPIC SUBSTANCES.
Consumer /addicts:-
A) MEDICO DRUG (i) Punishment under the provision of section 13 Drugs and Cosmetic Act 1940 the punishment in Clause (I) Sub Cl: (a) is imprisonment which may extend to three years and a fine which may extend to five thousand. (b) Imprisonment which may extend to six months or with fine which may extends to five hundred. (c) Imprisonment which may extend three years or with fine which may extend to five thousand.
B) HEROIN, BROWN SUGAR, OPIUM, GANJA ETC.(ii) Punishment under provision of Section 27 NDPS Act 1985 the punishment in Clause (a) is imprisonment which may extend to one year or with fine or with both. (b) Imprisonment which may extend to six months or fine or with both.
Dealers/Traffickers:-
(i) OPIUM punishable under Section 18 NDPS Act with imprisonment which shall not be less than ten years but which may extend to twenty years and shall be liable to fine which shall not be less than one lakh and may extend to two lakh.
(ii) CANNABIS PLANT, CANNABIS AND GANJA punishable under Section 20 NDPS Act with imprisonment which may (i) extend to five years and liable to fine upto fifty thousand (ii) not be less than ten years but which may extend to twenty years and shall also be liable to fine not less than one lakh rupees and may extend to two lakh.
(iii) HEROIN, BROWN SUGAR and COCAINE punishable under Section 21 NDPS Act with imprisonment which shall not be less than ten years and may extend to twenty years and shall be liable to fine not less than one lakh and may extend to two lakh. Meanwhile, SP Narcotic termed drug addition and trafficking as a social problem, which has adverse affects on the society, “and although police is the enforcing agency, it is not the problem of the police alone.”
Everyone has to join hands together to curb this menace, he said and called upon the NGOs and social organizations who are already doing much to continue their effort so that “together we endeavour to eradicate this social evil.”
