GUWAHATI, Nov 7: Assam's drug enforcement agencies were urged to follow financial trails and dismantle entire trafficking networks instead of focusing only on individual seizures.
The third quarterly state-level Joint Coordination Committee meeting was held at Assam Police headquarters on Saturday and chaired by the Narcotics Control Bureau's deputy director general for the North Eastern Region.
Officials from the National Investigation Agency, Enforcement Directorate, DRI, BSF, CRPF, SSB, Railway Protection Force, Customs, Income Tax and the Subsidiary Intelligence Bureau attended the meeting along with the state Anti-Narcotics Task Force. Superintendents of police from 13 districts considered sensitive by the authorities also took part.
The meeting reviewed Assam's drug situation, new trafficking routes, operational challenges and major cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. It also discussed the use of the NIDAN portal, NATGRID database and intelligence from the Financial Intelligence Unit.
The meeting highlighted Operation Trident, conducted by the NCB, the ED and Mizoram Police. Thirty-eight teams searched 38 locations across three north-eastern states on October 23 and arrested 18 people in Assam, Mizoram and Manipur.
Investigators said the operation targeted a transnational network and its finances. The network was accused of trafficking methamphetamine and heroin from Myanmar through Mizoram, Manipur, Assam and Tripura, with links to mainland India.
The ED said it froze 1,424 bank accounts linked to alleged narco-trade and narco-hawala operators in Mizoram and Manipur, uncovered hawala transactions worth Rs 100 crore, and attached properties worth Rs 17.82 crore.
