Shillong, June 25: DGP L.R Bishnoi today said that Meghalaya has approximately 2.5 lakh drug users, which includes injectable drugs and psychotropic substances.
Speaking at a gathering in U Soso Tham Auditorium on the “Drug Challenges in Health and Humanitarian Crises”, the DGP said drug addicts in India accounts to about 7.3 crores where 1.2 crores are children between the age group of 11-18 years and 55 lakhs are women.
Looking at the present drug trafficking scenario in the State, the DGP said that due to the close proximity to the golden triangle, Meghalaya has become a major transit point for drug trafficking and this has put the authorities on a very high alert to tackle the menace.
The DGP also gave a detailed presentation on the prominent drug trafficking routes in the State and the modus operandi commonly used for trafficking of drugs. The DGP informed that the department has come out with a strategic plan by strengthening infrastructure and having coordination among all stakeholders, besides frequent operations by law enforcers and organizing multiple awareness programme in schools, colleges, villages and towns and other activities.
He also informed that in the past 15 days, Meghalaya Police has conducted a record 142 drug awareness programmes in schools, colleges and other public places across the state reaching out to over 15061 young people.
