SHILLONG: A series of searches was conducted in the city since Tuesday to arrest drug peddlers.
Four persons were arrested on Tuesday night for selling contraband.
Members of FKJGP began inspection at 2 pm on Tuesday and caught hold of 23-year-old Ashanbor Nongspung, a resident of Smit, at Polo Market around 5.30 pm. He was carrying 0.11gm of contraband and Rs 3,660.
Nongspung told the members of that he bought the drug from Mawlai Nongpathaw from a person by the name Marvinson Jyrwa.
He was handed over to anti-narcotics cell of the police and the search continued at Mawlai Mawdatbaki and Nongpathaw.
Jyrwa was found at Mawlai Mawdatbaki carrying 36.32 gm of heroin and Rs 46,960. The anti-narcotics cell then tracked Benjamin Marbaniang and found him at Riatsamthiah at 11.30 pm and Johanan Shullai alias ‘Jo BatMan’ who was caught at 12.30 am.
From Marbaniang’s possession, 12 gm of drugs and Rs 27,000 and 0.32 gm of ganja were seized.
From Shullai’s possession, 0.12 gm of drugs, 23 injection needles and Rs 1,15,000 were seized.
FKJGP leader Reginald Thabah maintained that authorities should increase raids and inspection to curb the drug menace.
Talking about the arrests, East Khasi Hills SP Davis Marak said on Wednesday, “We arrested around four persons and it was a good catch in a sense that a small peddler led to a supplier. They are not small suppliers but big ones and we have been after them for quite some time.”
As drugs abuse among youths has become one of the major worries in the city, the city police are going all out to arrest key dealers.
Reiterating that Shillong is not just a transit route for drugs but also a destination, Marak said police are already going after the big fish but none has been arrested red handed as there will not be much evidence against them in court.
Asked whether low conviction rate was a factor, Marak said conviction in cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act are very difficult because of the “highly procedural law”.
“Also, it is also a fact that there are provisions in the Act which allow who are first time users or small users to be absolved if they apply to the court that they want to be rehabilitated and the law allows them to reform,” he added.
Marak said that as a destination, Shillong has some organised gangs who are running the racket.
He said there are some militant groups hailing from the North East who are indulging in drugs and arms trafficking to finance their groups. “Shillong is a place for militant groups to regroup and lie low when there is pressure in other states and this is the reason why police have also activated their intelligence,” the SP added.
