District meeting reviews seizures, enforcement and rehabilitation efforts
Kohima police have identified principal drug trafficking routes into the district but warned that smugglers continue to develop alternative channels, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Krodi Rhetso said at a Kohima District Narcotics Coordination meeting on October 22, according to a DIPR update.
The meeting, chaired by Deputy Commissioner B. Henok Buchem at the Deputy Commissioner's office chamber, highlighted recent enforcement activity and discussed prevention, counselling and inter-departmental coordination to tackle substance abuse in the district.
- Police reported the seizure of approximately 20,000 Yaba tablets during anti-drug operations this month.
- Security forces confiscated 302 grams of heroin and 6 kg of opium in separate operations, the DIPR said.
- Officials emphasised monthly district-level narcotics coordination meetings as directed by the Ministry of Home Affairs, with minutes to be submitted to the ministry and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).
Link made between thefts and addiction; data not provided
At the meeting, SSP Rhetso linked a recent rise in local theft cases to youth addiction and urged coordinated action among stakeholders to address substance use and restore a peaceful atmosphere in the district, the DIPR report said. The release did not provide figures to establish the extent of the alleged rise in thefts or empirical evidence to confirm a causal connection between the thefts and drug addiction.
Stakeholders outline causes and responses
Abou Mere, director of the Kripa Foundation, briefed the meeting on psychological and social factors that contribute to drug addiction. The DIPR account listed low self-esteem, depression, personal setbacks, lack of communication and a desire for instant gratification among the factors identified by Mere. He also called for targeted career guidance and expanded awareness programmes, saying substance abuse affects people across socioeconomic groups and professions.
Rhetso acknowledged the Kripa Foundation’s involvement in rehabilitation efforts, including work coordinated with the Home Department to support law enforcement personnel affected by substance use, the DIPR said. The Drug Inspector also presented information on grassroots enforcement measures, including inspections of local pharmacies.
Seizures summarised
| Item | Quantity (reported) |
|---|---|
| Yaba tablets | ~20,000 |
| Heroin | 302 g |
| Opium | 6 kg |
The DIPR update did not specify dates or locations for the heroin and opium recoveries, nor did it clarify whether those seizures were linked directly to the operations that produced the Yaba tablets. Officials at the meeting stressed ongoing monitoring and the need for strengthened inter-agency coordination.
What officials agreed to and outstanding questions
- District authorities will continue monthly narcotics coordination meetings as directed by the Ministry of Home Affairs, with minutes forwarded to the ministry and the NCB.
- Police and partner organisations will expand awareness, prevention and rehabilitation efforts, with an emphasis on targeted career guidance and psychosocial support, as recommended by the Kripa Foundation.
- Public reporting did not include baseline crime statistics or verified data linking thefts to drug addiction; the lack of such figures was noted in the DIPR release.
The meeting brought together law enforcement, district administration and civil-society representatives to review enforcement measures and prevention strategies. While officials described notable seizures and urged vigilance against shifting smuggling routes, publicly available information from the DIPR left some policy questions — particularly about the scale of the reported rise in thefts and the timing and context of the drug recoveries — unresolved.
