Agartala, July 01: Tripura has been facing a serious drugs menace, with a major section of youth including school goers falling prey to it, despite the state government's major crackdown on the traffickers.

According to sources, the state has seen a surge in drugs trafficking, with drugs like heroin, brown sugar and Yaba tablets being smuggled in from neighboring countries through Assam and Mizoram by the syndicates.
The rising drug menace has raised an alarm over the involvement of youth in drug trafficking and consumption. According to officials, many students and young professionals have been drawn into the drug trade. What appeared to be a serious matter of concern is that the abuse of injectable drugs is not only spoiling the young generation but also giving an alarming rise to the number of HIV/ AIDS cases in the state.
The Tripura government has launched a crackdown on drug traffickers since 2018, with increased surveillance and raids on suspected drug dens. The state government has also announced plans to set up a drug rehabilitation center to help those struggling with addiction. Besides, under the leadership of Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha, the state government has implemented a zero tolerance policy against drugs.
Officials and common people have called for greater awareness and education to combat the drug menace. 
"We need to educate our youth about the dangers of drug abuse and involve the community in our efforts to combat this growing problem," said a senior police official.
The drug menace poses a significant challenge to Tripura's social and economic fabric, and urgent action is needed to address this growing concern.
The drug trade in Tripura is linked to other states and countries through several corridors. Most of the drugs consignments enter Tripura through Mizoram, which shares a 107 km-long border with Tripura.
Tripura has sought the Centre’s intervention to strengthen the presence of Border Security Force (BSF) and setting up checkpoints at border areas of Assam and Mizoram. Besides, surveillance has been intensified in all entry points to state state including railway stations.
The state has also approached the Centre for setting up a branch of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in Tripura.
The drugs menace in Tripura has also seen a rise in drug-related violence, with several instances of drug-fueled crimes reported in recent months. 
The state's proximity to the Bangladesh border has made it a vulnerable transit point for drugs destined for other parts of the country. 
The drugs menace has also corrupted some law enforcement officials, who have been found to be complicit in the drug trade, further complicating the situation. 
Despite these challenges, the people of Tripura are determined to fight the drugs menace and save the young generation.
Meanwhile, Tripura Police and other security agencies are maintaining a strict surveillance to prevent drugs trafficking in the state. The state police have achieved significant success in the fight against drugs in recent months.
Being the latest successful drive under Neshamukt Tripura campaign, the North Tripura district police seized drugs worth Rs. 4 crore from a vehicle and arrested two persons in this connection on Sunday.
Based on secret inputs, the policemen led by SP North Bhanupada Chakraborty raided a new vehicle, bearing a temporary number, on the highway under Bagbasa police limit. A thorough search of the vehicle revealed 408 grams of heroin, with a market value of approximately Rs. 4 crore.
Two individuals - Sohel Mia (23) and Dilwar Hossain (35), both from Manikpur of Boxnagar in Sonamura sub-division, were also held in the operation. The arrested persons claimed that they were transporting the drugs from Silchar to Sonamura, a town close to India-Bangladesh international boundary.
The North Tripura district police made several seizures of drug consignments and arrested several people over the last couple of days.
The swift actions by the police spoiled the drug traffickers' attempts, reassuring the people that the North Tripura district police are diligently working to end the drugs menace.