"Mizoram In Precarious Condition": Minister Says Drug Smuggling Rising Amid Manipur Violence

Mizoram Excise and Narcotics Minister Lalnghinglova Hmar on Tuesday said smuggling of drugs in the state has increased due to the ethnic violence in neighbouring Manipur.

Replying to a question in the ongoing Budget session, Mr Hmar said drugs are being smuggled into Manipur and Tripura via Mizoram from other countries.

Manipur has been seeing violence since May 3, 2023, following a protest led by the hill-majority Kuki-Zo tribes against the valley-majority Meiteis' demand to be included under the Scheduled Tribes (ST) category.

According to Mr Hmar, the Mizoram Excise and Narcotics Department has seized 15 kg of heroin, 96.5 kg of methamphetamine tablets, and 238.6 kg of ganja since January this year.

A total of 1,211 people have been arrested in drug-related cases since January, he said.

"In view of the drug trafficking and drug abuse, Mizoram is now in a precarious condition. The government, NGOs, churches, and the people must work collectively to improve this situation," the minister said.

He, however, said "drug circulation or consumption at the local level" has significantly come down following a massive drive launched by the state government, churches and civil society organisations.

Mr Hmar said 10 people, including a woman, have died due to drug abuse since January.

In neighbouring Manipur, where poppy cultivation in the hills is a huge issue, the state government in September 2023 had refreshed its Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) with a set of new officers to continue the drive against illegal poppy cultivation and opium processing.

The scale of poppy cultivation in Manipur had spread across over 18,000 acres of land in the hills between 2017 and early 2023, according to data from the state government.

With inputs from PTI