Drug issues on the rise in Banke

Drug seizures and drug cases are on the rise in Banke. Such cases have increased especially in the district due to the high level of drug use and trafficking. According to the District Administration Office, Banke, 185 people have been arrested on such charges till the first week of June this year. Of them, 175 are men and 10 are women.

Assistant Chief District Officer of Banke, Topendra KC, said that a public awareness program would be launched on the occasion of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

Stating that it is necessary to discourage drug trafficking and consumption, he said that school-centred programs and drug risk should be reduced. A total of 196 arrests were made in Banke last fiscal year. Of the 185 men and 11 women, 126 were prosecuted.

According to the latest statistics, the business of tablets has increased in the district. Nitrogen and tramadol have more than doubled in the current year last year. According to Assistant Chief District Officer KC, 570 grams of brown sugar, 20.3 kg of cannabis, 34.574 kg of opium, 68.43 kg of cannabis, 39.4 litres of Corex, 1,310 tablets of nitrogen and 1,070 tablets of tramadol were seized last year. 

According to him, 890.99 grams of brown sugar, 14.158 kg of cannabis, 24.28 kg of cannabis, 8.4 litres of Corex, 4,025 tablets of nitrogen and 2,430 tablets of tramadol were seized till the first week of June this year. At present, 312 people are undergoing treatment at 20 rehabilitation centres in the district. They are between 20 and 54 years old. Nine people are receiving services at the free counseling centre.