Pubdate: Sun, 04 Jan 2009 Source: Statesman, The (India) Copyright: 2009 The Statesman Contact: http://www.thestatesman.net Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3261 Author: Rajib Chatterjee Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin) NARCOTICS PRODUCTION ON THE RISE KOLKATA - Despite a crackdown on organised drug syndicates in border districts of West Bengal, some heroin manufacturing units have come up in Nadia and Murshidabad recently. According to a report of the Narcotic Control Bureau (NCB), cultivation of poppy and opium couldn't be totally stopped in these two districts inspite of a massive operation launched jointly by central and state law enforcing agencies and district authorities. "It is true that cultivation of poppy and opium couldn't be eradicated totally due to various reasons. Poppy cultivation is being carried out in remote places and it is difficult for police to conduct raids there. To add to it, getting information on such illegal activities is also very difficult. As a result, some farmers are getting involved in heroin manufacturing through opium," Mr K Shankar, zonal director, NCB told The Statesman. "We have asked district administration in Nadia and Murshidabad to ensure round the clock police presence in some places where heoin is reportedly being manufactured," said Mr K Shankar, zonal director, NCB. He, however, claimed that they have successfully reduced cultiv! ation of poppy in Nadia and Murshidabad in the last two years. Earlier, members of drug syndicates used to bring heroin to West Bengal from Rajasthan and some other northern states. Now, they have started manufacturing heroin, although in small scale, in West Bengal. According to NCB sources, reports of heroin manufacturing came from Kaligunge, Tehatta in Nadia and Lalgola in Murshidabad districts. "We have reports that heroin is being manufactured in small scale in some remote places of these blocks to meet local consumption," Mr Shankar said. "Till 2006, cultivation of poppy took place in a large scale in these two districts. Because of strong surveillance and a massive crackdown, we managed to destroy poppy cultivation to a large extent in the past two years. But cultivation of poppy is still taking place in some isolated places. The heroin manufacturing units have come up in these two districts between 2003 and 2006," said a senior NCB official. NCB officials feel that cultivation of poppy and manufacturing of heroin cannot be stopped unless members of all drug syndicates are nabbed and punished. An official said that the members of the drug syndicates are encouraging farmers to cultivate poppy. They are luring the farmers with attractive remuneration for poppy cultivation in a large scale. On why the authorities have failed to totally eradicate poppy cultivation, Mr Shankar said: "It is very difficult to identify the plots where cultivation of poppy is taking place. Poppy is being cultivated in remote places jointly with other crops." - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin