Kohima District Narco-coordination meeting was held at the Deputy Commissioner’s Office chamber under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner Kohima, B. Henok Buchem, on October 226. The high-level meeting aimed to ensure grassroots-level enforcement, robust monitoring, and seamless inter-departmental cooperation to combat drug abuse and illicit trafficking in the region.
During the meeting, Director of the Kripa Foundation, Abou Mere, highlighted the underlying causes, prevention strategies, and treatment protocols for narcotics and drug addiction. He stated that low self-esteem, depression, personal failure, lack of communication, the desire for instant gratification, and “King Baby Syndrome” are some of the most common psychological causes driving drug abuse.
To address these vulnerabilities, Mere called for targeted career guidance and widespread awareness programmes. Reflecting on the evolving crisis, he noted that while drug addiction in the 1980s was mostly confined to wealthy individuals, it broke socioeconomic barriers by the 1990s to become a common issue across households. Mere warned that although some aspects of the situation have improved, the problem has now permeated the general population, affecting gazetted officers, men in uniform, and daily wage earners alike.
Expressing his gratitude, Senior Superintendent of Police (Sr. SP) Kohima, Krodi Rhetso, thanked the Kripa Foundation for their dedicated service in safeguarding society. He revealed that the Home Department has been actively working alongside the Foundation to rehabilitate affected law enforcement personnel.
Rhetso explained that while the police have successfully mapped out major trafficking routes, smugglers continuously find new channels to transport contraband.
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Highlighting institutional accountability, the Sr. SP noted that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued a strict directive to hold these coordination meetings every month, with minutes to be submitted timely to both the MHA and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).
The Sr. SP shared significant law enforcement breakthroughs achieved this month, announcing that Kohima Police seized approximately 20,000 Yaba tablets. In separate operations, security forces also confiscated 25 soap cases containing Heroin (Shan Flower) weighing about 302 grams, alongside 6 kilograms of opium.
Rhetso also drew a direct link between a recent spike in local theft cases and youth addiction, urging all stakeholders to unite to combat substance abuse and restore a peaceful atmosphere.
The house extensively discussed various strategies to eradicate drug abuse, including a review of the ongoing Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan activities. The Drug Inspector provided an update on the recent grassroot enforcement initiatives, including targeted inspections of local pharmacies. Moving forward, the department plans to conduct comprehensive sensitisation programmes for all pharmacies across Kohima to prevent the misuse of prescription drugs.
In his concluding remarks, Deputy Commissioner B. Henok Buchem thanked all attendees for sharing their professional insights. He emphasized that their valuable feedback would be instrumental in strategizing and executing a highly effective, coordinated action plan against substance abuse in the district.
