Northeastern States Finalising Joint Strategy to Crack Down on Drug Trafficking: Nagaland DGP

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a programme on International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking here, Sharma said all DGPs and heads of anti-narcotics task forces from the northeastern states had recently come together to formulate a common approach against drug trafficking networks operating across state borders.

"In the past two weeks, all the DGPs of North East states and the anti-narcotics task force heads have come together. We are trying to develop a common concerted strategy for checking drug trafficking," he said.

According to the Nagaland director general of police, the coordinated mechanism will ensure that traffickers transporting narcotic substances across the states will find it increasingly difficult to evade law enforcement agencies.

"Anyone bringing drugs from Mizoram or Manipur to Nagaland will not be able to escape anywhere in the state or in Assam or other states. Similarly, those trying to procure drugs from Assam, Nagaland or from traffickers in Manipur will be under a better scanner of the police and law enforcement agencies," he said.

The DGP expressed optimism that the joint strategy would yield better results once operational.

"The strategy is already being made, but it will take concrete shape in the next 10 days or so, and we will see better results in future," he said.

Asked whether Nagaland won the battle against drug abuse, Sharma said progress had been made, but he stressed that the fight could not be left to the police alone.

"I think in parts of the state, we are winning the war against drugs. But it is not a war only for the police to fight. It is for everyone to fight," he said, urging citizens to actively support anti-drug efforts.

On measures to improve women's safety, Sharma said the Nagaland Police have plans to install facial recognition and surveillance cameras and CCTV systems in major towns to deter crimes in public places.

He said cases of sexual assault are often difficult to prevent when they occur within families or inside homes.

Sharma urged victims and their family members to come forward and report such incidents, adding that increased reporting reflects growing public confidence in law enforcement agencies.

"It is an encouraging sign that people are reposing their trust in the police and reporting such cases," he said.

Sharma warned that the state remains "highly vulnerable to drug trafficking because of its proximity to Myanmar and the Golden Triangle consisting of Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos in the east", urging citizens to work with law enforcement agencies to curb the menace.

Addressing a gathering after a 5-km anti-drug run organised by the Nagaland Police to mark the occasion, he said most narcotic substances enter Nagaland and other parts of the country through Manipur.

"We are very, very vulnerable to drugs," he said, adding that around 5.5-6 per cent of Nagaland's population is affected by drug addiction.

Calling drug abuse a growing social crisis, Sharma said addiction destroys lives and families and appealed to young people not to experiment with narcotics, warning that even a single use could lead to dependency.

He assured drug users seeking help that the police would prioritise action against traffickers rather than addicts.

"If you or your family member is a drug addict and you must come to us, we will not arrest you. We will use the information to catch those who are selling drugs. The users need treatment; the sellers are the criminals," the DGP said.

Sharma also urged the public to share information on drug trafficking, assuring complete confidentiality of informants' identities, and stressed the need to strengthen professional counselling and rehabilitation services in the state.

Earlier, the DGP administered an anti-drug pledge in which participants resolved to stay away from drugs, cooperate with the police in preventing drug abuse, spread awareness about its ill effects - particularly among the youth - and promote a drug-free, healthy society.

The anti-drug run, held under the theme "One Run, One Voice, A Drug-Free Nagaland – Choose Life, Not Drugs," began at High School Junction and concluded at the Police Headquarters in Kohima.