AIZAWL, June 26 - Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla torched 4.38 kg of heroin worth Rs 84.37 lakh at the Assam Rifles ground here to mark the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking today.
An official statement said that the organising committee of the International Day against Drug abuse and illicit trafficking said that seized heroin was torched to create less pollution at the venue of the function.
State excise and narcotics department officials said that heroin smuggling from Myanmar had increased considerably since the past three years.
The officials said that smuggling of ganja also increased with the increase in abuse of the drugs among the youth. � PTI
Mizoram correspondent adds: Concerned over rising Indo-Myanmar cross-border drug trafficking, leaders of central Young Mizo Association (Mizoram�s largest civil society) met the drug dealers of Myanmar and requested them to give up their business.
The meeting took place at Khawmawi village, a border trade point on the Myanmar side of Tiau river that divides Myanmar and Mizoram.
�With the help of the village administration and local NGOs, we summoned 15 major drug dealers in the area at the village court on Monday. We requested them to stop smuggling drugs to Mizoram. We also warned them that they would be reported or handed over to the Myanmar Army if they continue their business,� a senior leader of YMA leader said about the meeting.
The central YMA leader said about 99 per cent of heroin smuggled to Mizoram came via this route and drug dealers in this area are responsible for the prevalence of drugs in Mizoram that have killed over 1,500 youths so far.
Last month, the Young Mizo Association and Myanmar-based NGO, Upper Chindwin Youth Network inked a pact to curb cross-border drug trafficking.
