The Anti Drugs Squad recently formed by SP Noklak, Dr Pritpaul Kaur at the Noklak Police Unit on January 2.
Forms Anti Drug Squad
Morung Express News
Kohima | February 4
With the prevailing menace of drug abuse in Noklak district, an Anti Drugs Squad was recently formed by the SP Noklak, Dr Pritpaul Kaur, at the Noklak Police Unit on January 28.
Under the theme ‘war against drugs abuse’, the squad will be building awareness amongst the youth and students, coordinate with NGOs in organising seminars on livelihood skills, besides conducting regular checking and raids.
“Noklak being a border district faces problem of drug abuse amongst the youth. The youth are the future of our society and we need to tackle drug menace with strict and active policing on one hand to conduct raids and to create awareness amongst youth against substance abuse on the other hand,” says Dr Kaur.
The Anti-Drug Squad comprises of a six member team (OC Noklak PS (UBI Isihangbe), OC Panso PS, OC Thonoknyu PS, UBSI Mongthei, ASI Phee, and ASI Khenou) with the SDPO Noklak Police (Shrin Akum Lam) as its Chairman.
The main objectives of the squad is to curb drug supply chains and to find out the source/peddlers, conduct regular raids, create awareness amongst youth and students, and coordinate amongst various NGOs working in same field.
Following its formation, the squad conducted a surprise check in January and apprehended two persons in possession of 600 (.5mg alprazolam) tablets. The drugs were seized and the accused forwarded to judicial custody. It was informed that raids will continue in regular intervals along with spreading awareness amongst youth against drug abuse.
A daunting challenge
According to Dr Kaur, the number of drug users among the young in Noklak is high.
The SP’s Office has been imparting training, livelihood skills and counselling to drug users undergoing OST treatment to empower them to earn a livelihood and take care of their families. Seminars and awareness are gradually being given to the youth on a regular basis, yet the task remains daunting.
While the demand side is being curtailed, Dr Kaur notes that the supply also needed a strict regulation. Hence the Anti Drug Squad was formed “whose responsibility is to curtail the supply chains and to catch hold of drug peddlers so that they can be booked under relevant sections of law.”
Some of the most commonly used drugs in Noklak are Spasmoproxidin, .5mg alprazolam, Heroin and Yaba which are mostly smuggled from Myanmar or from neighbouring districts such as Kiphire and Tuensang. Often, the drug users are involved in petty offences to support their addiction.
“With people using pharmaceutical drugs significantly of the opioid group of drugs and also benzodiazepines, Noklak has a big challenge to overcome. This is compounded due to the international border and easy access to drug related services. “The access challenge can be outlined by lack of adequate service centres and the hilly terrain without any proper conveyance system,” says Ketho Angami, President, Access to Rights and Knowledge (ARK) Foundation.
The sole OST center in Noklak has about 400 drug users enrolled, however sources informed that the enrolled list consists of only injecting drug users. At present, there is no absolute data on non-IDUs (oral, smoke, inhalation).
Angami also points out the health threats besides HIV among the community of people who use drugs, especially that of Viral Hepatitis C. “There are potentially high chances of huge cases of Viral Hepatitis C in the district. Such cases most likely go undetected and therefore people remain unknown of their status and is left untreated,” says Angami. He adds that, even more worrisome is the lack of initiatives for testing, diagnostics and treatment of Viral Hepatitis C.
