(Dehradun, NTI): The use and trafficking of drugs are rapidly increasing across the country, including Uttarakhand. Curbing this has become a major challenge for the state government. The Uttarakhand government has set a target of making Uttarakhand drug-free by 2025. However, the current situation is that not only are large quantities of drugs being recovered in the state but drug dealers are also being arrested on a large scale. Despite this, drug trafficking is not stopping, and young people are increasingly falling into the grip of addiction. In Uttarakhand, hundreds of kilograms of opium, charas, and doda have been seized in recent years.
The growing drug problem in the country and the state is becoming a curse for society. To build a drug-free society, June 26 is observed annually as the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. The United Nations established this day on December 7, 1987, to raise awareness about the global fight against drug abuse and trafficking.
Dehradun, known as an education hub, is witnessing a rapid spread of drug use, as evidenced by the increasing amount of drugs seized in the state year after year. The drug trade is not limited to the plains but has also spread to the mountainous regions of Uttarakhand. From January to May 2024, 572 NDPS cases were registered in the state, resulting in the arrest of 692 people.
According to information from the STF’s Anti-Narcotics Wing, 1335 cases were registered in 2023, leading to the arrest of 1789 people. In 2022, there were 1440 cases with 1759 arrests, and in 2021, 1801 cases with 2163 arrests. In total, 5148 cases have been registered in the past three years and five months, resulting in the arrest of 6403 people. Additionally, property seizures have also been carried out.
SSP STF Ayush Agarwal informed that June 26 is observed as the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking every year. To raise awareness against drugs, people are being informed through various means, including school rallies, street plays, and FM radio. The state government is also running a campaign for a drug-free Devbhoomi, with enforcement and awareness actions being taken under the CM’s direction.
The SSP STF emphasized that the police administration alone cannot control the drug problem; society needs to unite and work against it. The STF’s Anti-Narcotics team is working to curb drug supply, and regular actions are being taken with drug inspectors to control the availability of drugs from medical stores.
Regarding the source of drugs in the state, the SSP STF mentioned that opium and cannabis are cultivated in some parts of the mountainous regions of Uttarakhand and then supplied to the plains. Additionally, drug supply has been found from districts bordering Uttar Pradesh and across the Nepal border.
To tackle the drug trade and its associated criminals, a new initiative has been launched in recent years. Financial investigations are being conducted on drug traffickers, and their illegal properties are being seized. Preventive detention actions have also been initiated under the NDPS Act, resulting in the arrest of three individuals so far. The focus is on strengthening enforcement and raising public awareness to curb drug use.
The data on drug seizures over the years shows a significant amount of various drugs being recovered, highlighting the ongoing challenge of drug abuse and trafficking in Uttarakhand.
