DAMCHERRA (TRIPURA), Nov 13: Tripura’s 107 km long
boundary with Mizoram is a cause of major concern for law
enforcement agencies as most of the drugs from Myanmar
enter the state through that border.
Vigil has been stepped up along the border between the two
northeastern neighbours to prevent drug trafficking, said
Bhanupada Chakraborty, superintendent of police of North
Tripura district which shares the boundary with Mizoram.
“Law enforcement agencies are working hard to curb drug
trafficking menace but smuggling of drugs especially heroin
continues along the inter-state border”, Chakraborty told PTI
on Monday.
Chief minister Manik Saha has declared a war against
increasing drug trafficking and law enforcement agencies
have adopted a zero-tolerance policy to curb the drug
menace.
Till August, 2023, a total of 746 people were booked in
connection with 445 Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic
Substances (NDPS) cases and contraband items including
heroin amounting to Rs 91.84 crore was seized during the
period, according to a police report.
“Myanmar appears a potential threat to the war against
drugs declared by Tripura… We are sure these drugs are
coming from Myanmar. Mizoram is just a transit point as far
as drug trafficking is concerned,” the police officer said.
According to Chakraborty, drug mafias sometimes also use
Silchar-Churaibari (entry point to Tripura from Assam) to
transport drug items. “We often foiled drug smuggling under
Churaibari police station despite having severe staff
constraints. The police need to be strengthened further to
intensify war against the drug trafficking”, the SP said.
“Police have sent two or three teams to Mizoram in
connection with some specific NDPS cases but they did not
make much progress as the origin of the drug peddlers could
not be found. In the course of interrogation and probe, we
came to know that Mizoram border is being used as a safe
corridor for trafficking drugs to the state”, Officer in Charge
(OC), Damcherra police station, Raju Bhowmik told PTI.
Three police stations- Damcherra, Khedacherra and
Vangmum share 107 km inter-state border with Mizoram
with a skeleton staff.
“At present, Damcherra police station has only two sub-
inspectors along with one inspector and six to eight
constables and some Tripura State Rifles (TSR) jawans. It is
very difficult to maintain close control at Nripen Chakraborty
setu (bridge) which connects Mizoram’s Mamit district to
Damcherra in North Tripura”, the OC said. The bridge over
river Longai connects Tripura and Mizoram.
Bhowmik said, “We require adequate staff to maintain strict
vigil at the entry point to Damcherra. Around 40/50 vehicles
are coming to Damcherra through the bridge daily. If we
want to check all vehicles, more policemen are needed at the
check gate at Damcherra”.
Taking advantage of skeleton police presence, the drug mafia
are using Damcherra to smuggle drugs along with goods to
the northeastern state, he said.
North Tripura, chief medical officer (CMO) Dr Arunabh
Chakraborty said the number of injected drug users (IDUs)
among the inmates of Bruhapra resettlement village (Bru
camp) under Damcherra police station has been on the rise
over the past few years.
“… Tripura State AIDS Control Society (TSACS) is working in
the field to check the menace. We have identified some
potential pockets of drug users and opened two Oral
Substitution Therapy (OST) clinics in two Public Health
Centres (PHCs) at Jampui Hills (Vangmun) and Damcherra to
provide them medical attention”, he said. (PTI)
