DIMAPUR, Feb 5: In a significant operation to combat drug trafficking, Nagaland Police have successfully seized various banned substances worth over INR 14 crore during a two-week crackdown in January 2025. The operation led to the registration of seven cases and the arrest of 18 individuals. A press conference held at the Rhododendron Hall in Chümoukedima Police Complex on Wednesday revealed that the seizures included 203 soap boxes containing 2 kg 375 gm of heroin.
According to Vikram M Khalate, the IGP (CID), Nagaland Police are taking proactive steps to combat the drug menace. “We have put multiple systems in place, which are helping the team analyze and operate in real time,” Khalate said, adding that Nagaland serves as a transit route for narcotics. He emphasized that many of the drugs seized in Nagaland originate from Manipur, with major suppliers operating from the state. The drug trafficking network has interstate and international dimensions, extending to Assam, Karnataka, and Punjab, with links reaching Myanmar via Manipur.
Khalate further explained that drugs are often concealed using sophisticated methods, making detection difficult. He urged the public to cooperate by sharing information about any suspicious activities, even minor observations such as drug consumption, which could help authorities track down traffickers.
Commissioner of Police Dimapur, Kevithuto Sophie, pointed out that the seizures were not the result of luck, but rather the product of a well-established intelligence network. He revealed that many of the seized drugs were hidden in private vehicles in concealed compartments, making them difficult to detect. Sophie also noted that, in the last six months, drug consumers have been going to the border areas to procure drugs, as they dare not bring them into Nagaland.
In 2024, Nagaland Police registered 199 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act and arrested 343 individuals. The police have once again urged the public to provide information about drug trafficking or distribution to the nearest police station or narcotics police station, assuring that the identity of informants would remain confidential.
