To strengthen enforcement of anti-narcotics laws, Meghalaya will soon introduce ‘drug scanners’ and has already procured nine dogs for the canine squad of the police’s Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF).
Social Welfare Minister Paul Lyngdoh today said that the central government is concerned that the North East could become the epicentre for drug trafficking in the country. The region’s proximity to troubled Myanmar, which is the source and transit point of many narcotics, is one danger factor for the North East.
Due to its concern, the central government offered these drug scanners to Meghalaya. “The DGP (Director General of Police) is on the job and the scanners will be provided by the [Union Ministry of Home Affairs],” Lyngdoh said.
While acknowledging that the process may take some time, Lyngdoh said the state government has already taken proactive steps. “In the meantime, we have procured nine dogs who will be a part of the dog squad of the ANTF. They will assist in detecting narcotics entering the state,” he said.
The dogs are currently undergoing training and are expected to be deployed in a few months. They will be placed in hotspots that have been identified by the government’s drug reduction mission, DREAM.
