CBMs led to increase in drug trafficking from Pak: UNODC

New Delhi, June 27 (UNI) Rail and road links between India and Pakistan that have linked people's hearts have also spurred trafficking of drugs like heroin across the border manifold, Mr Gary Lewis, Representative of United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC), said today.

''There is direct link between tension on Indo-Pak border and drug trafficking between the two countries. About three to four years ago in 2002 when there was a lot of tension on the border only 50 kg of seized heroin could be back-tracked to Pakistan, but nowadays with Confidence Building Measures like rail links and bus services having been established, about 300 kg of heroin could be back-tracked to that country,'' Mr Lewis said while launching the 2006 World Drug Report here.

However, instead of compromising on the CBMs, the two countries should increase cooperation between their drug enforcement agencies to fight the menace of drug trafficking and to nab and punish the culprits, he said.

Pointing out that the main culprit is Afghanistan where cultivation and production of Opiates--Opium and Heroin--is going on a large scale, he said that from there it leaks to Pakistan and then comes to India. Afghanistan produced 420 metric tonnes of heroin in 2004 and it marginally declined to 410 metric tonnes in 2005.

India receives about one metric tonne of heroin annually from international market of which 30 percent comes from Afghanistan- -Pakistan route. Since it comes mainly from Punjab border and into Delhi, there has been a marked increase in drug addiction among people of Punjab recently, he said. Some narcotics also come to the country through Myanmar, Bangladehsand Nepal routes, he said.

Regarding the recent haul of 200 kg of cocaine, Mr Lewis said that it may indicate wider prevalence of this expensive drug among affluent younger people with high amount of disposable income.

Though being very expensive at present, cocaine use is at present limited to the party circuit of highly affluent people, he pointed out but said that there has been a tendency among trafficker to contaminate it and make it widely available to prostitutes and street children as has happened in South Africa.

He cautioned the government to take the recent seizure of cocaine very seriously and take steps to reveal the trafficking source.

Meanwhile, the Narcotics Control Bureau is baffled about the seizure of such huge amount of cocaine.

''Earlier, we used to seize about two to three kg of cocaine annually. We are baffled with this recent haul of 200 kg cocaine.

However, it appears that the contraband was meant for export to some other destination. But the government is taking all the necessary steps to investigate the matter,'' said Mr Om Prakash, Deputy Director General of the Bureau.

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