Shillong, Jun 27

Meghalaya is slowly emerging as the transit point for distribution of heroin in the country, a senior police officer has said.

“With Shillong as the transit point, many players, some with militant background or affiliations, are involved in the drug trafficking business to fund their anti-social activities,” East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police Davis Marak said.

He was addressing an event to mark the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking here yesterday.

The rise in petty crimes in some areas has also been attributed to the growing numbers of drug users, particularly among the youth, who commit such crimes to satiate their cravings, Marak said.

Expressing concern over the fact that most traffickers come from low-income families or those with a history of broken homes, the police officer stressed on the need to pay more attention to the youth and urged all stakeholders to work hand in hand with the police to curb the menace of drug abuse and illicit trafficking.

The police, in its continued efforts to curb the dangers of drug abuse and illicit trafficking, is also organising a week-long awareness programme, beginning this week, in different localities, schools and colleges to create awareness, the SP said.

Earlier, Dr Arvind Nongpiur, an Assistant Professor in Psychiatry at the NEIGRIHMS said, the use of illicit drugs begins at an early age.

“The inquisitiveness to experiment or succumb to peer pressure often leads adolescents to use drugs thereby preventing them from leading a healthy and productive life,” he said.

Stressing that drug abuse is no longer considered just a social problem, Dr Nongpiur said drug abuse is accepted as an illness and drug addiction can be treated with proper medical intervention.

A recovered drug addict also shared his long journey on the road to recovery.