Guwahati/Nalbari: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday launched the state’s drug disposal campaign by driving a roadroller over seized narcotics and said the Centre has been in touch with the authorities in Myanmar, while strengthening border points in Manipur and Mizoram.Announcing that drugs worth Rs 472 crore will be disposed off at the 14th Assam Police Battalion in Daulasal, Nalbari, over the next 10 days, Sarma said the drive will include cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and other substances, with the total value of narcotics estimated at around Rs 472 crore.The CM said Assam had emerged as a transit route for heroin, methamphetamine and Yaba tablets smuggled from Myanmar to other states, calling it a matter of serious concern. He said large seizures often come with inputs linked to border intelligence and added that the Centre’s intelligence and technology will help intensify the fight against narcotics.Sarma said drugs worth Rs 3,227 crore had been seized in Assam over the past five years, averaging nearly Rs 1,000 crore annually, with most seizures in districts bordering Manipur and Mizoram. He said public destruction programmes are conducted to send a message to drug syndicates and traffickers.The CM further said fencing the borders was one of the viable options to prevent illegal infiltration, but was not a complete solution. “Narcotics can still be smuggled using drones or by being thrown across the border. While fencing serves as a physical barrier, drug smugglers today employ far more sophisticated methods and technologies that require an equally advanced response,” he added.“Strengthening human intelligence networks is equally important, as actionable intelligence plays a critical role in intercepting drug consignments and dismantling trafficking networks. Fencing should be viewed as only one component of a comprehensive anti-drug strategy rather than the ultimate solution,” the CM added.Sarma said inter-state coordination had become a key pillar in combating narcotics and directed Assam Police to take the strictest action against drug traffickers within the law. He noted that opposition legislators have also recently urged the police to intensify action against drug networks, adding that major traffickers are difficult to target because principal operators often remain outside India and use intermediaries for transport and distribution.He said more than 3,300 cases have been registered under the NDPS Act in 2025, compared with 206 drug-related cases in 2015.
