SHILLONG: There is no alarming trend in drug smuggling across Indo-Bangladesh border, the Border Security Force has assured.
As the world over observed International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on Monday, a BSF source told The Shillong Times, “People living in the border areas are not used to such items.”
The rest of the State is grappling with the menace of drug addiction and regular awareness campaigns are being organised in the city by authorities to check substance abuse.
Last week, BSF troops deployed in South West Khasi Hills arrested three persons for allegedly smuggling Yaba tablets, a new type of psychotropic drug. In South Garo Hills, BSF troops had found a bag with 125 bottles of Phensedyl.
The BSF source said on Tuesday it was not drugs but cattle smugglers who have kept troops on their toes. The seizing of smuggled cattle has increased manifold compared to the previous years, he added.
Students take out rally
Students of BSF Senior Secondary School and BSF jawans took out a rally on Tuesday to observe ‘International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking’ at Frontier Headquarters BSF in Umpling on Tuesday.
The students carried placards with anti-drug messages written on them.
After the rally, the students and the jawans gathered at the auditorium where a doctor from the Composite Hospital, BSF Shillong, spoke on the abuse and misuse of drugs.
The theme for this year is ‘Listen First – Listening to children and youth is the first step to help them grow healthy and safe’.
The doctor answered several queries of the students eager to know more about drug abuse. Similar programmes were held by 123 Battalion BSF and Battalion Headquarters Mawpat. Troops holding posters rallied up to Nongmynsong market to mark International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
Medicines were distributed among poor villages at BOP Rattachera.