Drug problem serious in state, says UN body
Thursday, 11/10/2018
https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/drug-problem-serious-in-state-says-un-body/666384.html
Chandigarh : The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) on Wednesday termed drug abuse problem in the state serious, but appreciated the government’s measures in combating the menace. It has offered its expertise in reducing the demand of drugs in the state.
On the sidelines of a three-day workshop on ‘Combating Illicit Trafficking of Afghan Opiates’, Sergey Kapinos, Representative of the UNODC, told The Tribune that the UNODC was looking forward to working with the state government on reducing demand of drugs and ramifications of its abuse.
Earlier, inaugurating the workshop, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh sought the help of the UNODC and member states, including Afghanistan, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Maldives, in catching the big fish involved in the illicit trade.
The CM said, “The recent seizure of drugs meant for Punjab from Gujarat and Uri in Kashmir points out that smugglers, helped by cross-border organisations, targeted north Indian youths, who contribute two-third manpower to the Indian defence forces.”
Kapinos said the UN body was concerned about the nexus between smugglers and some terror organisations, who used drug money to fund their activities.
He said European countries were alarmed at the smuggling and misuse of Tramadol tablets. Last year, a consignment of 35 lakh Tramadol tablets manufactured in Amritsar was nabbed by the Italy Police when it was allegedly being smuggled to ISIS militants in Syria.
Waheed Akrami of the UNODC told the delegates about the threats due to the unprecedented cultivation of opium and production of opiates in Afghanistan in 2017. He said there had been a phenomenal 63 per cent increase in its cultivation.
