Pubdate: Tue, 13 Mar 2007
Source: DNA (India)
Copyright: 2007 Diligent Media Corporation Ltd
Contact:  http://www.dnaindia.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4442
Author: Sumanta Ray Chaudhuri
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin)

JAMTALA: A HUB FOR HEROIN

KOLKATA: Jamtala is the official name as per municipal and panchayat 
records for this remote village along the Indo-Bangladesh border in 
Bongaon, in North 24 Pargana district of West Bengal. But the 
official name has no recall among locals here. It has been christened 
"Heroin er Haat" (Heroin Mart) and this is what even locals prefer to 
call their village.

So much so that local bus operators are heard shouting, "Heroin er 
Haat stop" (Heroin Mart stop) for the benefit of passengers who 
alight here. The story of the name change reflects Jamtala's 
emergence as a hub of narcotic trade.

Over the years Jamtala has become a meeting point for drug peddlers 
and drug-addicts from the bordering villages of India and Bangladesh.

On one hand, the peddlers use this sensitive border outpost as the 
hub for selling various forms of heroin while escaped convicts, 
addicts and hardcore criminals find this a safe consuming centre. 
Even the state police have received several warnings from the 
Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on how the region is slowly becoming a 
hub for heroin smuggling and consumption.

According to a senior police official posted in the locality, every 
afternoon at Jamtala, an assembly of addicts can be commonly found. 
He said that generally a pack of heroin wrapped in aluminium foil is 
available for around Rs 30. "The aluminium packaging is for 
convenience of addicts to burn and 'chase' the drug, under cover of 
trees and deserted open fields that are found in plenty around here. 
Although circle inspector of Bongaon, S Chatterjee, claimed that the 
police are regularly conducting raids to crack the heroin racket in 
the region, records say that during the last six months around 15 
local youths have reportedly succumbed to drug overdose.

The local police officers admitted that there are problems in keeping 
the addicts in custody since in absence of drugs, withdrawal symptoms 
set in making it difficult for authorities to continue holding them. 
Nor are there any rehabilitation centres in the vicinity of Jamtala.

Bongaon additional DM S Ghosh said the local government is giving 
emphasis on creating awareness regarding the deadly effects of heroin 
consumption. "We are conducting regular meetings in association with 
local panchayet offices to create awareness," he said.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman