Guwahati: Mar 28: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma recently highlighted the growing challenge posed by drug smugglers who are increasingly using advanced techniques, including drones, to deliver narcotics. Speaking on the issue, Sarma described the battle against drug trafficking as a massive and ongoing struggle, particularly in Assam and Meghalaya, where traffickers have been employing innovative methods to evade detection. He noted that the use of drones to transport drugs is one of the new tactics being adopted by smugglers, making it harder for authorities to intercept consignments.
Sarma emphasized that the drug menace in the region is vast, with narcotics networks often being operated by kingpins located outside India, who direct operations through their local agents. These networks use a variety of methods to avoid detection, such as small-scale shipments carried by multiple individuals, making it difficult for law enforcement to track or apprehend the offenders. Sarma cited the example of multiple agents traveling with small amounts of narcotics, which could easily go unnoticed in regular travel scenarios, such as train journeys from Guwahati to Delhi.
Despite these challenges, Sarma affirmed Assam’s zero-tolerance stance on drugs, stressing that the state government is committed to tackling the narcotics issue with full force. He pointed out that other states and even international authorities are facing similar challenges, with the United States, under the leadership of Donald Trump, also making efforts to combat global drug networks. Sarma concluded by reiterating the importance of continuous operations and proactive policing to stay one step ahead of drug traffickers and dismantle these illicit networks, which he described as a global problem.
