Record seizure of drugs in election season
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: December 10, 2021 -

A DAY after the largest ever drug haul in northeast India by Assam Rifles and Tengnoupal district-police from a warehouse in the Indo-Myanmar border town Moreh, United Committee Manipur (UCM) has rightly raised the suspicion that real owner of such a huge consignment of narcotics substance can't be the arrested Myanmarese national.

The Committee may have set 10 days' time for the government to identify and arrest the actual owner(s) of the seized drugs but it is unlikely that the real kingpins and prime culprits could be punished in such a short period for the simple reason that many similar cases still remain unsolved till date with exception of those caught red-handed serving real time in prison or enjoying life as usual after securing bail.

However, UCM's demands should prod conscience of the government authorities on why only drivers and hired drug carriers, who are in no position to purchase drugs worth crores of rupees, are put behind bars when the main traders continue to evade arrest.

For the government, seizure of over 154 kg of 'methamphetamine' tablets and more than 54 kg of heroin estimated to collectively-worth over Rs 508 crore in the international market is a success story of its 'war on drugs' campaign but for those non-governmental organisations, which have been campaigning for a drug-free Manipur, security forces seizing psychotropic drugs and busting drug producing makeshift units at alarming frequencies in different parts of the state would be seen as existence of a flourishing drug business.

Huge quantities of heroin, brown sugar, opium and other psychotropic drugs seized at regular intervals in recent times could be an indication that substance abuse remains a serious problem in the state, which had already experienced the worst-case drug abuse scenario in the 1980s and 1990s.

Realising the threat perception, the then Congress government decided to hand over to the CBI the case of seizure of prescription drugs worth Rs 4 crore from 12 policemen at Pallel check gate in the fearly 2000s but the drug trade scourge refused to wane as yet another seizure of similar narcotics substance was made at the same place, when six people led by an army colonel were allegedly taking the consignment to Myanmar through Moreh.

With the latest seizure of drugs made at a time when the state is Witnessing hectic activities for the upcoming assembly election, there is every reason to suspect link between drug money and election expenditures of certain candidates as could be comprehended from consumption of liquor and use of drugs becoming part and parcel of elections in the state.

While it has now become familiar to hear military representatives quick to conclude that combating cross-border smuggling of drugs is vital in stopping narco-terrorism and insurgency emanating from Myanmar, there has been hardly any comment on possibility of such ill-gotten money abetting narco-politics.

Narco-terrorism could be a major source of finance for the militant groups based in Myanmar for the neighbouring country falls within the notorious 'Golden Triangle' but usage of drug money to fund potential lawmakers cannot be ruled out.