India’s long coastline and its many neighbours make the country potentially a hot transit destination for illicit drugs—from the world’s best heroin to amphetamine-type substances (ATS). The fencing along the Indo-Pak border in Punjab was successfull to a great extent in preventing the infiltration of terrorists but it has hardly been able to check narcotics from being pushed in. Peddlers are finding it increasingly easy to smuggle in packets of heroin made in Afghanistan through agents in Ferozepur and Amritsar. The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) feels that India is emerging as a transit country for the export of heroin. Irregular consignments have also been finding their way across the LoC but the trade in Jammu and Kashmir is not as organised as it’s in Punjab. It is estimated that the average annual seizure of about 270 kg of drugs reveals only 20 per cent of the total consignments entering the country. The rest is consumed in the domestic market and exported to Europe and Sri Lanka. In a report released last month, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has raised an alarm over the developments along Myanmar. It said that increasing quantity of ‘‘Number 4’’, as the injectible form of heroin is locally called, was flowing in across the border. This was in addition to ATS like ecstasy which are produced in large quantities in Myanmar. An interplay of several factors has ensured easy availability of heroin in the Northeast. The 1641-km Indo-Myanmar border is porous and it is only at two stretches (at Moreh and Mammit) that fencing has been undertaken. Besides, there is an agreement between the two countries to allow the tribals living near the border to cross over to the other side up to a certain distance. Both Thailand and Laos have been trying to eliminate drug peddling during the past few years. With stricter vigilance being enforced in these borders, Myanmarese agents are left with the option of focusing on the Northeast and Bangladesh. It is reported that several units producing heroin and ATS have sprung up in Myanmar adjacent to Manipur’s Churachandpur and Chandel districts. It’s doubtful if ‘‘Number 4’’ is making its way into the mainland, but there is high demand for Manipuri ganja in places as far away as Mumbai and Delhi. The NCB, however, considers the export of hashish from Nepal a larger threat. ‘‘The annual seizure of hashish, including hash oil, is around 4 tonnes and half the amount is from Nepal. There is a craze for Indian hashish in Europe and this is an added reason why the illicit trade on this item has shot up,’’ said sources in the NCB. Compared to hashish and heroin, the consumption of cocaine is lesser in India since it is far more expensive and the production centres located in South America. Nonetheless, the seizure of a massive quantity on June 4 in Mumbai has revealed the intricate network that is used to push the white powder into India. The ship on which the contraband was stowed had set sail from Ecuador and reached India via Hong Kong. The probe is still on but NCB sources don’t rule out a European connection. Their assumption is based on two 2004 incidents when two persons were arrested in Italy carrying cocaine from India. Cocaine is also smuggled in from the Western African countries like Nigeria. Recent arrests of peddlers have revealed that cocaine is sometimes bartered for heroin in India since it is high in demand in countries far away from the centres of production in Afghanistan and Myanmar. HIGH 5 Cocaine A strong addictive drug, variations of which can be chewed, snorted /sniffed (insufflation), injected, or smoked. Crack is cocaine processed from cocaine hydrochloride into “free base” for smoking. Street Names: Coke, snow, flake, blow, blast, blizzard, blunt, bones, boost, bouncing powder, C, cakes, candy, caviar, chalk, charlie, cola, do a line, dust, damablanca, foo foo. High & Low: A potent central nervous system stimulant, cocaine usually makes the user feel euphoric and energetic. Common health effects of chronic use include heart attacks, respiratory failure, strokes, and seizures. Chronic intranasal usage can degrade the cartilage separating the nostrils, leading to its complete disappearance. In rare cases, sudden death can occur on the first use of cocaine. Heroin An addictive drug that is processed from morphine and usually appears as a white or brown powder. Street Names: Smack, H, horse, skag, shit, boy junk, China White. High & Low: Short-term effects include a surge of euphoria followed by alternately wakeful and drowsy states and cloudy mental functioning. Associated with fatal overdose and—particularly in users who inject the drug—infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS and hepatitis. Long-term users may develop venous sclerosis , liver disease, lung complications and chronic constipation. Acid/LSD(lysergic acid diethylamide) One of the strongest mood-changing drugs. It is sold as tablets, capsules, liquid, or on absorbent paper. Street Names: Acid, blotter, cid, doses, trips. High & Low: Unpredictable psychological effects. With large enough doses, users experience delusions and hallucinations. Physical effects include increased body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, sleeplessness and loss of appetite. Ecstasy 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine. A man-made drug that acts as both a stimulant and a hallucinogen. It is taken orally as a capsule or tablet. Street Names: XTC, X, Adam, hug, beans, love drug, Candy, E, E-Bombs, Disco Biscuits, Eileen, Irene (in East Asia), Jack and Jills, Junnov (in East Europe), Kissing Potion, love drug, MaDMAn. High & Low: Short-term effects include feelings of mental stimulation, emotional warmth, enhanced sensory perception, and increased physical energy. Adverse health effects can include acute dehydration, nausea, chills, sweating, teeth clenching, muscle cramping, and blurred vision. .. & Club drugs Typically used by teenagers and young adults at bars, clubs, concerts, and parties. Ecstasy apart, the most common club drugs include GHB, Rohypnol, ketamine and methamphetamine. Street Names: Liquid ecstasy, soap (GHB); Special K, Vitamin K (ketamine); roofies (Rohypnol). High & Low: Chronic use of MDMA may lead to changes in brain function. GHB abuse can cause coma and seizures. High doses of ketamine can cause delirium, amnesia, and other problems. Mixed with alcohol, Rohypnol can incapacitate users and cause amnesia. Marijuana Considered the “wisdom weed” by Rastafarians, this is the most commonly used illegal drug in the world. The main active chemical in Marijuana is THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol). Street Names: Blunt, pot, ganja, weed, grass, Mary Jane, Reefer, Sinsemilla, Roach, Thai Sticks. High & Low: Short-term effects include memory and learning problems, distorted perception, and difficulty thinking and solving problems.
