Some of the problems in Manipur are well known. The drug trade has played a significant role in the political landscape as well as in heightening the conflict in Manipur.
The state sits adjacent to the infamous “Golden Triangle”, an area in Southeast Asia covering civil war-torn Myanmar.
It is believed that drugs like methamphetamine from the Imphal and adjoining regions (Myanmar and a few other South East Asian countries) are feeding the whole of the Asia Pacific region.
The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) defines the region as one of the “biggest drug trafficking corridors in the world”.
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| illicit poppy fields destroyed & 20 huts burned : Nov 2023 |
The BJP-led Manipur government will not stop until the drugs menace is completely rooted out from the state, asserted Chief Minister N Biren Singh numerous times.
The consumption of "Inhalants" -- substances that are inhaled for psychoactive effects -- has continued notwithstanding the fact that the state has witnessed one of the worst ethnic clashes between Meiteis and Kukis since May 2023.
With a population of about 2.72 million (2.75 lakh) people and an annual economy of slightly more than 400 billion rupees ($4.78bn), 1,728kg (3,909 pounds) of heroin was seized in 2021-22 -- which going by the typical retail price of heroin as reported by the UNODC in 2021, was worth $213.24m.
Various state and the central initiatives have been taken to ensure a drug-free Manipur. The Assam Rifles are at the forefront of efforts to spearhead the anti-drug warfare.
A senior military official explains things better: "As women and men in camouflague we are mandated to guard borders. We are also called by respective states for law and order duties and dealing with floods and other calamities. We are also expected to fight war against Drugs on behalf of the centre and the state.... We are dutifully discharging our duties".
The 'War on Drugs' in Manipur was launched by the BJP government in 2018 and it seeks to address both the supply of narcotics and the demand.
"By collaborating with local organisations closely, the Assam Rifles support rehabilitation programmes and de-addiction centres," says a source in the Assam Rifles.
Given his defined role essentially as a security official, it appears the diagnosis of the malady by the force is quite good.
"Manipur can break the chain of despair linked to drug addiction through education, economic opportunity and community solidarity ... and we are there aiding the state".
In fact on Jan 17-18th, 2025, the Assam Rifles busted a drug syndicate in Manipur's Churachandpur and arrested two people for attempting to smuggle drugs worth around Rs 62 crore.
The Assam Rifles is duly supported by other organisations as well.
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| 2021 -- Manipur Police & Assam Rifles recovered a huge consignment of drugs from Moreh on the Indo-Myanmar border in Manipur |
Organisations such as the Coalition Against Drugs and Alcohol (CADA) have been instrumental in mobilising community resources to support drug-free initiatives.
A complex tapestry:
Come to normal life and ethnic conflicts and insurgency in Manipur; it is hardly an one-formula state. Two Plus Two is never four in wide spectrum of things.
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| police and central forces working for 'recovery' of arms looted post-2023 ethnic clashes |
Come to think of it -- locals in Churachandpur area (a Kuki-dominated region) say - historically poppy cultivation is driven by Economic necessity more than the greed for hard and quick cash.
"The pull towards drug business and poppy cultivation echoes across many rural communities," says a retired educationist from Mizram University. He further explains that --
the journey from cultivation to consumption and business is linked to big metroes in mainstream India and farm houses adjoining cities like Delhi or Bhopal.
The destinations like Goa or Mumbai cannot be ignored either. In a very general sense, the narcotic economy in Manipur is estimated around 700 billion rupees (8.40 billion dollars).
In 2018 within a year of coming to power, Chief Minister N Biren Singh launched his now highly controversial war on drugs.
“Thousands of hectares of land are used for poppy cultivation in areas near the international border with Myanmar,” he told the media.
Poor economic conditions, lack of job opportunities and easy availability of drugs had led to a high number of drug addicts in the state, he said.
He was not wrong.
The spillover of the trade into Manipur has an old history.
The drug trade has caught up in Manipur in the last 15 years. In fact, lately the US, other Western countries and even the United Nations started going after Myanmar and the Golden Triangle.
The findings is that the Golden Triangle extended towards the West into Manipur.
Moreover, it was accelerated by the armed groups who found easy money and the groups taking advantage are both in Myanmanr and in Manipur.
According to the Manipur Remote Sensing Applications Centre, MARSAC, poppy cultivation peaked at approx. 29000 acres in 2021-22 but has seen a decline in 2023-24; the area under cultivation dropped to 11,288 acres marking a 60 per cent decrease. This meant quite an achievement in three years.
The state has policy to fight drug menace. The central and state agencies are working in coordination.
In all these, the security forces, the state police and Assam Rifles deserve some credit for discharging their duties.
Time and again, we may write and say - Manipur stands at a critical juncture. Only through a holistic approach can Manipur state hope to reclaim its future from the shadows of drug dependency.
Wrap up
Multiple sources in the know of things suggest that closer scrutiny of the drug smuggling industry vis-a-vis northeast India is required.
It is suggested that while drugs of third/fourth quality are marketed and 'abused' in Manipur and other northeastern states; the better quality stuff is marketed in big cities and metros.
"This is a fast evolving and growing industry....there are deep pockets in big Indian cities where a new thing called rave parties etc are now practiced quite frequently. Hence there are demands for it," a source said.
This argument explains why the Narcotics Department and other agencies time to time frequently conduct "raids" on these types of gatherings in various cities.
This is why often celebrities and their off-springs also hit headlines.
Not long ago, foreign visitors had 'discovered' that the seaside locations made an easy or better spots for rave events. But now there is penetration into other places as well including metros and various state capitals.
Analysts also say that drugs like MDMA, ketamine, GHB, Rohypnol, and LSD--known collectively as "club drugs"--are an integral part of the rave culture.
In 2023, the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) had arrested four people, including a woman, for allegedly being part of drugs supplying racket and organising rave parties for young men and women at different guest houses and hotels in Lucknow city.
It has also been reported that the Israeli, Russian and Italian mafia exist in Manali and Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh and run drug business through various means.
There could be more tales of a darker side of drug peddling and its distribution network.
Say No to Drug and Yes to Life.... That will be probably one of the best ways to celebrate the spirit of the Republic Day.
ends
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