Heroin smuggling on the rise in NE

GUWAHATI, Dec 20 — Worried over increasing incidents of heroin smuggling from Myanmar, the Centre has stepped up operations along the Indo-Myanmar border. The three states of the north east India, bordering Myanmar, — Mizoram, Manipur and Nagaland has been kept under strict vigil by the enforcement agencies, following reports that the smugglers are trying to despatch their consignments to the region. Though the enforcement agencies have made several seizures during the last couple of years, yet they have not been able to contain the problem in view of prevailing terrain. Talking advantage of terrain, the smugglers have been running their illegal trade in the north east India, causing a matter of concern. “According to reports, the smugglers are trying to push their consignments to the region through different routes for which operations have been geared up”, highly-placed sources told The Assam Tribune today. The sources further said that Champkai and Moreh of the north east India have become major points through which the smugglers have started despatching their consignments from Myanmar to different destinations. To establish the fact, the sources revealed that the Mizoram and Manipur excise department have confiscated several consignment of heroin during the last couple of years. “On the basis of frequent seizures, we have identified five major routes through which the smugglers send their consignments to different locations as per demand of the people,” the sources said, adding that the routes are — Tahan-Tiddin (Myanmar) — Champkai (Mizoram), Falam-Hake-Salawa (Myanmar), Falam-Zangtlang-Ngharchij (Myanmar), Labang-Tlangkhan and Laitak-Aibur- Lungpuk (Myanmar). In this context, they informed that the enforcement agencies have identified mother route — Potao-Pangsaupass-Nampong Arunachal Pradesh, bordering Myanmar on the basis of seizures. It may be mentioned here that the heroin smuggling along the Indo-Myanmar border had gone down to a large extent following surrender of Khun Sa, the drug king of the famous Goden Triangle in 1996. But Khun Sa’s associates are still involved in drug trafficking to various places. Thowing more hight on modus operandi of the smugglers, the sources said that the traffickers are now adopting various tactics in view of vigilance of the agencies. “Some times they use wooden logs to carry their consignments. To overcome the menance, we have procured new equipment”, the sources added. On “Burmese heroin’ they informed that the herion produced in different places of Myanmar are generally sent to north east and Thiland. “Since north east India is covered with hilly terrain, the drug pedlars are frequently using the region to send their consignments” the sources added.