GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has expressed concern over what he described as indications of a possible new narcotics trafficking route connecting Myanmar to Assam through Arunachal Pradesh’s Changlang district and Tinsukia.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Sarma said recent drug seizures and information gathered during investigations have pointed towards a potential shift in the routes being used by traffickers to move narcotics into the state.
The Chief Minister said Assam’s intensified campaign against drug trafficking has resulted in several significant seizures in recent weeks. He referred to a recent operation in Guwahati in which narcotics with an estimated value of nearly Rs 80 crore were seized. According to Sarma, the consignment was allegedly being transported towards Punjab.
Sarma said that while enforcement agencies have been working to dismantle established trafficking networks, drug smugglers may be attempting to identify alternative corridors in response to increased surveillance and police action.
Traditionally, narcotics entering the Northeast have reportedly been linked to routes passing through the Myanmar borders with Mizoram and Manipur. However, Sarma said recent seizures in Tinsukia have raised concerns about the possible use of a different route through Arunachal Pradesh.
According to the Chief Minister, information obtained during the questioning of arrested drug peddlers suggested that narcotics seized in Tinsukia may have entered the region through Changlang district.
Describing the development as a serious concern for Upper Assam, Sarma said the authorities would need to remain alert and strengthen efforts to prevent the suspected route from becoming an established trafficking corridor.
The Assam government, he added, will continue its anti-narcotics campaign and work with law enforcement agencies to identify and disrupt emerging drug networks.
The development comes amid an ongoing crackdown on narcotics across Assam, with police and other enforcement agencies carrying out operations in different parts of the state.
