The central government has stressed for concrete efforts by all agencies with better coordination among themselves along with neighbouring Bangladesh to control the drug trafficking in the region, said Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha.

The central government has stressed for concrete efforts by all agencies with better coordination among themselves along with neighbouring Bangladesh to control the drug trafficking in the region, said Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha.

After attending the two days plenary meeting of North East Council (NEC) held at Guwahati, Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha on Monday afternoon soon after his return , addressing a press conference here at Civil Secretariat on Monday afternoon accompanied by Chief Secretary J K Sinha and DGP Amitabh Ranjan said that Tripura being used a corridor for drug smuggling to its ultimate destination in Bangladesh and drugs are being smuggle through state’s border from Myanmar.

He said that Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah chaired the meeting with Chief Ministers, Chief Secretaries and Director Generals of Police of all North Eastern States on ' Drug Trafficking and National Security ' in Guwahati and it has elaborate discussion over drug abuse scenario in the NorthEast region and ways to reduce it. The meeting was also attended by the Union Home Secretary, Director General of Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and other senior officials.

He said that as the spread of drugs in the society ruins generations, the union government has given its maximum efforts to stop the menace from the region and the Union Home Minister takes it very seriously to make the region drug free. The policy and other agencies have adopted zero tolerance to thwart every attempt by organized mafia to harm the country's economy and national security, said Dr Saha.

While, giving details of over the achievement of the state to reduce the drug menace and steps being taken by the state government, Dr Saha highlighting his speech in the NEC meeting

On October 8th , the meeting held for regional cooperation and drug trafficking and held detailed discussion, Tripura highlighted that Tripura is a corridor for drug smuggling and its market and drugs are being smuggled from Myanmar and via Tripura it reaches Bangladesh including different tablets, Heroin, Brown Sugar and other codeine based drugs. “We highlighted the issues that drugs are coming into our state from Mizoram and Assam state after being transported from Myanmar,” said Dr Saha.

The government of Tripura launched its ‘Nesha Mukta Tripura” drive and now Tripura police are getting largest seizure in the region and around 700 vehicles, till date has also been seized by the state police from 2018, said Saha and added that government has formed Special Investigation Team (SIT) and 19 cases were registered till September, 2022 and government is maintaining its close monitoring and coordination, resulting in conviction has received in seven cases.

Mentioning the drive and operations against drug trafficking, the state government also registered 39 cases against financial transaction and seized properties, freezes accounts and cash amount of Rs. 6.5 crore has also seized, said Dr Saha and through team work with central agencies, Narcotic Control Bureau (NCB), ED, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), the state’s police are getting success to control the menace.

He also said that the government has also stressed on massive awareness and a group of guards has been formed in every school to protect the school students from drug abuse.

“There are challenges due to geographical location and for porous international border, smugglers are taking the advantages of unfenced border,”, said Dr Saha and added that they have urged the union government to complete the border fencing in remaining stress and install Naka point in bordering areas with Assam and Mizoram.

Tripura has also urged for setting up a NCB branch in the state and also stressed for better coordination with Bangladesh to abolish the menace from its root and its ultimate destination, said the Chief Minister.

The Chief Minister also said that this is for the first time, the Union Home minister held a meeting on drug trafficking with CMs and DGPs of the NE states and HM made it clear that the country will not allow its soil to be used for narcotics smuggling.

During the meeting Chief Minister also made some special proposals to curb drug smuggling and has also urged the Home Minister to strengthen vigil in bordering areas by strengthening the BSF.

Dr Saha sought financial support from the centre to improve the technological support against the drug menace and to boost surveillance measures across the border.