Aizawl: Mizoram Excise and Narcotics Minister Lalnghinglova Hmar on Tuesday said the number of drug trafficking into the state has soared due to the ongoing ethnic violence in neighbouring Manipur.
Replying to a question in the ongoing budget session on Tuesday, Hmar said that the number of drug seizures in Mizoram has considerably increased since the ethnic violence as drugs are being smuggled into Manipur and Tripura via Mizoram from other countries.
He said that drug circulation or consumption at the local level has significantly come down following a massive anti-drug drive launched by the government, churches and civil society organisations.
According to Hmar, the state Excise and Narcotics department alone has so far seized 15 kilograms of heroin, 96.48 kilograms of Methamphetamine tablets and 238.6 kilograms of ganja (cannabis) besides substantial quantities of banned alcohols since January this year.
A total of 1,211 people have been arrested in drug-related cases since January and on average over 20 people are arrested in drug-related cases every day, he said.
The minister said that drug abuse has adversely affected the Mizo society and the state government in collaboration with NGOs and churches is making efforts to curb the menace.
He said that efforts are on to strengthen the excise department and to address manpower crunch.
“Because of drug trafficking and drug abuse, Mizoram now is in a precarious condition. The government, NGOs, churches and the people in general must work collectively to improve our situation, ” Hmar said.
According to the state Excise and Narcotics Department, 10 people, including a female, have died due to drug abuse since January this year.
Last year, Mizoram registered 74 deaths due to drug abuse, which is the highest after 2004, the department said.
Of the 74 victims, 12 were females.
The northeastern state registered the first drug-related death due to heroin in 1984.
Since then, 1,820 people, including 220 females, have died due to drug abuse.