| Drug trade rampant in JK, Govt unmoved | | | Ishtiyaq Ahmad
Early Times Report
Srinagar, July 1: The seizure of heroine worth Rs 2700 crore near Amritsar seems just a tip of the iceberg.
On Sunday, the Customs Department seized 532 kg of suspected heroin worth Rs 2,700 crore, which was smuggled into India from Pakistan in a truck through trade route at the Attari border. A Kashmiri is behind this crime.
However, the official figures reveal that, trade of drugs is rampant in the state especially in Kashmir.
As per the official figures at least 312 cases were registered against the drug peddlers during 2018 in Kashmir, while 482 persons were arrested by police involved in these cases.
As compared against 2017, the data suggests that drug related crime is on the rise in Kashmir. At least 357 cases were registered in which 407 arrests were made in connection with them during the year 2017.
The seizure included huge quantities of several contraband substances like poppy straw, fukki, brown sugar, charas, heroine, ganja, bhung putri, and opium straw.
Poppy straw is the highest seized drug - 1734.7 kilograms, while other seized drugs include fukki (850.61 kilograms), brown sugar (6.88 kilograms) and charas (73.27 kilograms), apart from other seizures of banned capsules, and tablets, official figures reveal. The data suggests that the maximum number of cases (about 58% - 123 cases) have been registered in south Kashmir followed by north Kashmir (35%- 108 cases). The central Kashmir has registered lowest number of cases- 25% 81 cases.
J&K is also one among the six States-West Bengal, Manipur, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, and Bihar-where maximum poppy cultivation is practiced, according to the report.
The trend has also been detected by The Narcotics Control Bureau of Union Ministry of Home Affairs' which says that J&K is one among the top states in India in cultivation of illicit crops.
Another disturbing trend is use of various narcotic drugs including heroin has given way to intravenous drug usage, use of sedatives and painkillers.
'This increases the intensity of addiction and hastens the process of complete subjugation to the narcotic dependence," a police official said.
The official said that state police was adopting a two-pronged strategy to tackle the issue. "On the supply-side, we are carrying out intensive raids. Huge seizure of charas and tobbaco products have been made in the recent months," the official added. |
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