New Delhi: Admitting the fact that there is a close nexus between narcotics business and terror activities in Manipur, the Centre on Wednesday said that at least five people were arrested along with arms and ammunition as well as drugs in three consecutive years in the strife-torn state.
“The nexus between narcotics trade and terrorist activities is examined on a case-to-case basis. People with drugs and arms and ammunition have been arrested by different law enforcing agencies in Manipur,” said Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.
Rai said that five persons along with drugs as well as arms and ammunition were arrested from Thoubal, Imphal East, Imphal and Chandel district of Manipur between 2018-2020. He further said that the security agencies carried out opium poppy destruction on 18,854 acres of land in Manipur from 2018 up to May this year.
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) shares satellite imagery regarding the illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy cultivation with Manipur Police and also participates in destruction. Asserting that drug smuggling keeps happening from across the border in Myanmar, Rai said director general-level talks and field-level officers' meetings were organized between NCB and Myanmar’s Central Committee on Drug Abuse Control (CCDAC) to resolve various drug-related issues having international implications.
“NCB on the directions of MHA has identified two places to install vehicle scanners at the international border and hinterland of Manipur state to check the movement of drugs,” said Rai. He said that since the illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs and its abuse is a transnational problem, the government of India has entered into bilateral agreements with 27 countries, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with 16 countries and two agreements on Security Cooperation for preventing illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursor chemicals.
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From 2018 till May this year, 659.37 kg of amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) drugs, 324.5 kg ephedrine/ pseudoephedrine drugs, 2,502.07 kg heroin, 2101.38 kg of opium, 5552 kg of poppy husk and poppy straw have been seized in Manipur. A total of 1897 cases have been registered besides 2622 persons were also arrested during the same period.
“Dedicated Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) headed by ADG/IG-rank police officers has been established in each State and UTs. Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) headed by ADGP (Intelligence) in Manipur was constituted in March last year as a single nodal point for all narcotics-related issues,” Rai informed the House. He said that to prevent smuggling along border areas, Assam Rifles have been empowered under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985 to make interdiction of drugs.
“A Special Task Force on Darknet and Crypto Currency has been constituted to monitor suspicious transactions related to drugs on Darknet. The government of India has also expanded the footprint of NCB throughout the country with the creation of New Regional and Zonal Offices at different places. In this sequence, the existing Sub-Zonal Office at Imphal has been upgraded to Zonal Level,” Rai informed.
It is worth mentioning that in the ongoing violence in Manipur, security agencies have also found the collusion of narco-terrorist organisations. In fact, Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), a Manipur-based civil society organization has recently organized a rally against narco-terrorism in the State. The organization claimed that Myanmar-based narco-terrorists have been fueling the ongoing violence in the State.
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