Assam Starts Massive Drug Burn to Combat Trafficking

Guwahati: Assam kicked off a statewide drug destruction drive on Sunday. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma inaugurated a dedicated narcotics incinerator in Nalbari district to wipe out seized contraband worth Rs 472.51 crore. The facility will run for 10 days to process the massive stash.

Sarma hopped onto a road roller to crush a pile of seized narcotics himself. The stockpile includes 60 kg of heroin, 38,000 kg of ganja, plus cocaine, methamphetamine, and Yaba tablets. Assam Police seized over Rs 3,227 crore in illegal drugs during the last five years. They filed 3,300 cases under the NDPS Act.

The Chief Minister emphasized the symbolic value of the destruction. "Public destruction of seized drugs is important as it sends a strong message to society and to those involved in the narcotics business," he said. Officials identified Assam as a primary transit route for drugs smuggled from Myanmar toward West Bengal.

Sarma remains skeptical that border fencing alone will solve the issue. He argued that traffickers use drones and creative routes to bypass physical barriers. The state now seeks better technology and tighter inter-state coordination to dismantle complex networks. Local units joined the effort, with police in Tamulpur and Biswanath incinerating additional supplies worth millions.