Ganja routes traced to Manipur: DRI
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Guwahati, May 23, 2011:
A day after officials of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized more than 2,300 kg of ganja from a truck in the Jalukbari area, sources on Sunday said two routes from Manipur to the state have turned into a safe passage for narcotics carriers.
"The two stretches have been identified as the Manipur-Dimapur-Numaligarh road in Golaghat district, which connects the city via Tezpur, and the Manipur-- Jiribam-Silchar-Guwahati stretch which connects NH 37," said a senior DRI official.
Drug peddlers use these routes to carry ganja and other narcotics from Manipur to West Bengal.
Sources say, ganja is produced in a big way in Ukhrul and then smuggled to Bihar and UP via West Bengal.
In the last 10 years, DRI officials have seized more than 1 lakh kg of ganja from in and around the city.
In the last three years, officials seized 19,000 kg of ganja.
In 2010, they seized 4,500 kilogram of ganja.
DRI sources say, the contraband was meant to be supplied to Bihar and UP via West Bengal.
In 2005, DRI officials arrested 12 persons carrying ganja.
"The persons tried to slip away in the guise of army commandos flashing AK 56 rifles.
But we managed to detect them," said the source.
While ganja is supplied from Manipur to Bihar and UP, narcotics-like drugs and phensedyl are carried to the northeastern states from outside.
In Guwahati, Lokhra and Amingaon are the spots where secret loading and unloading of ganja is carried out.
However, sources in the intelligence agency said the kingpin involved in ganja trade runs the business from cities located outside the state.
"Most of the kingpins are staying outside the state.
Their agents are operating in the NE," said the source.