The outlawed United Liberation Front of Assam-Independent (ULFA-I) has helped the Assam government nab drug traffickers and seize a substantial quantity of narcotic substances.
Many other extremist groups have been deeply involved in drug dealing, besides keeping their cadre high on chemical substances for sustained operations over three-four days, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
Outlining the achievements of the State police in two months since he took charge, Dr. Sarma said some of the seizures and arrests were possible due to tip-offs from the ULFA-I, which declared a three-month ceasefire in June.
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“Since the drugs come in via Myanmar, the ULFA-I has given us information on consignments to be delivered from that country. We have also sought the help of the Myanmar authorities to check the drug inflow, besides coordinating with our northeastern neighbours in our bid to stop the drug trade and drug addiction,” he told the 126-member State Assembly on Wednesday.
Coordination with the neighbouring States led to the Manipur government handing over the kingpin of rhino poaching to Assam police, which was unprecedented, the Chief Minister said.
He also said many extremist groups in the northeast, unlike the ULFA-I, had been using drug addicts for subversive operations.
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“These outfits get their job done through the youth desperate to lay their hands on drugs, especially some chemical substances that make them hyperactive for three-four days,” he said.
Dr. Sarma said the extremist groups keep their cadre high on psychotropic substances that help them carry out operations for three-four days without adequate food or rest.
Since May 10, the Assam police seized almost 28 kg of heroin, 12,883 kg of cannabis, 41 kg of opium, 78,000 bottles of high-codeine cough syrup, 1.36 lakh methamphetamine tablets and 3 kg of morphine besides fake and foreign currency from drug traffickers.
“In two months, the police seized more heroin than the 27 kg seized in 2020, which was up from 23 kg in 2019. If we assume the police have been able to seize only 20% of what is being sold, we have a massive problem with many families having already been ruined,” the Chief Minister said.