Frame law to penalise drug dealers: IPAK
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 29 2021:
The Indigenous People's Association of Kangleipak has urged the Centre and the State Government to frame a law to penalise drug smugglers accordingly.
A press release issued by IPAK stated that rampant abuse of drugs by the locals has become a source of major concern as it hinders the socio-economic development of the State with the rate of drug related crimes rising manifold.
Saying that widespread plantation of ganja and poppy in the hilly areas of Manipur and alleged establishment of synthetic drug manufacturing units in the valley pose a grave threat to the people and their future, it added that frequent seizure of drugs worth crores of rupees in the international market by the security forces is validation of Manipur becoming a drug trafficking centre.
There is a possibility of militant outfits based in Myanmar and hill areas of Manipur being involved in smuggling drugs into the State, IPAK claimed and urged the Government to probe and identify the major smugglers/kingpins at the earliest.
The Government should also not take the utilisation of local people by non-Manipuris in trafficking drugs lightly, IPAK added.
Continuing that dealing in drug business by some elements to make easy money and contest in the elections at the cost of the people is disappointing, IPAK urged the Government to root out such social evils from the society.
According to the 2019 report of UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNOCD), methamphetamine precursor chemical is smuggled via North East India and Bangladesh to Myanmar, where it is processed into powder, tablet and crystalline forms and supplied to the world market via the North East and Bangladesh again, it mentioned.
Maintaining that more and more youth of the State will fall prey to addiction if the Government pays no attention to the widespread plantation of poppy'and smuggling of illicit drugs, IPAK urged all concerned to do the needful at the earliest.