Meghalaya Turns from Transit Route to Major Drug Consumption Hub, Heroin Fuels Alarming Crisis

Shillong: Meghalaya has transformed from a mere corridor for narcotics trafficking into one of the biggest consumption centres in the Northeast, with half of every drug consignment entering the state now being consumed locally, Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) Superintendent of Police Giri Prasad M said.

Speaking at a press conference, the SP disclosed that heroin continues to dominate the illicit market despite a surge in methamphetamine and phensedyl circulation. The highly addictive opioid has gripped daily-wage workers, jobless youth and, shockingly, even schoolchildren. Of the ₹400 crore worth of drugs seized by the ANTF till date, heroin alone accounts for ₹250 crore.

“Almost 30 per cent of all narcotics trafficked through Meghalaya are consumed in Shillong itself,” Prasad said, naming Iewduh, Police Bazaar, Ajmera, Mawlai and areas near TB Hospital as the city’s worst-affected zones. East Jaintia Hills, Ri-Bhoi and Paikan in Garo Hills have become preferred entry and exit routes for smugglers.

In recent years, the ANTF has arrested more than 1,150 drug peddlers and registered over 700 cases under the NDPS Act. Five habitual offenders have already been detained under the stringent PIT-NDPS Act, with several others likely to follow.

The SP lauded the crucial support from traditional local institutions, saying Dorbar Shnongs and Rangbah Shnongs have become the backbone of anti-drug operations by providing real-time tips, participating in night patrols and raids, and refusing accommodation to known traffickers.

To sharpen its arsenal, the ANTF is inducting six new sniffer dogs, acquiring advanced surveillance vehicles and drones, deploying handheld X-ray baggage scanners for vehicles, and expanding CCTV networks in vulnerable areas.

The task force boasts a conviction rate exceeding 80 per cent in decided cases, though nearly 70 per cent of registered cases are still pending trial. Collaboration with the Law Department is underway to expedite hearings.

While enforcement has been ramped up, SP Prasad emphasised that police action alone cannot win the war. Sustained rehabilitation and demand-reduction efforts are being spearheaded through the DREAM Mission and the Social Welfare Department, with plans to establish full-fledged de-addiction centres in every district.

“This battle demands aggressive enforcement, accessible treatment, harm-reduction measures and, most importantly, complete community ownership,” he asserted.

Warning that new trafficking routes and synthetic drugs are constantly emerging, the ANTF chief announced a dynamic three-to-five-year strategy to stay ahead of the menace.

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