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As many as 285 people were arrested for drugs consumption in the past three financial years, from 2022-23 to 2024-25, and over 2,700 were arrested for drug peddling till now, Tripura Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha, who is also in charge of the Home portfolio, said in Agartala on Tuesday.
While replying to a question moved by Congress legislator Sudip Roy Barman on the last day of the ongoing Autumn Session of the Assembly, CM Saha stated that the state arrested 2,729 drug peddlers till now, and 28 others absconding with charges of drug peddling pending against them are yet to be arrested in connection with active cases.
Later, detailing the conviction rate in Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) cases in the last three years, CM Saha stated that the conviction rate in cases relating to different sections of the NDPS Act was 11.7 per cent in 2022 and 2023, followed by 5 per cent in 2024.
Replying to separate queries about the destruction of drugs seized, CM Saha said that the contraband items, including yaba tablets and phensidyle, that were seized in 2023-24 and 2024-25 FYs were destroyed at an abandoned area of Bodhjungnagar Industrial Estate in West Tripura district.
“After receiving an order from the court, the entire process of destruction of seized contraband items was completed in the presence of chairmen and other members of the High Level Drug Disposal Committee and the State Level Drug Disposal Committee”, he said.
In these two financial years, the police arrested a total of 1970 persons who were found involved in these contraband items, he added.
In a warning to drug mafias, CM Saha, earlier in August, said that no drug mafias would be spared if they don’t rectify themselves.
“Initially, after injecting drugs, they (drug addicts) feel pleasure and a high. Earlier, only boys used to inject drugs, but now, girls are also found consuming them. We are trying to nab the drug mafia. The drug mafias, those who are involved in drugs, there is time. Rectify yourselves. We have already told the police and other agencies not to spare anyone. We are implementing zero tolerance to drugs here,” said Saha earlier.
In 2023, CM Saha stated that Tripura was being used as a corridor by the drug smugglers, as the state is surrounded by the Bangladesh border.
CM Saha, on a separate occasion, said the crime rate declined compared to 2023 as the state recorded 19.4 per cent fewer crimes last year, compared to 2023 12.3 per cent fewer crimes in the first five months this year in comparison to previous year.
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