7 July 2011: Mr. Lalthanhawla, the Chief Minister of Mizoram State, northeast India is in favour of life sentence being awarded for drug peddling in the state.
The need for a new law was stated by the Chief Minister on International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking programme at Vanapa Hall, Aizawl, the capital of Mizoram.
“We seize various drugs from peddlers, and put them in jail for just a while. It means that the present law is not sufficient. So, we should look at a law which awards life sentence,” said the Chief Minister on June 26.
He said drug trade is being mostly carried out from Burma in Mizoram as well as in central India with Mizoram state as a transit point. So, Assam Rifles the border guards force should monitor the Indo-Burma border areas strictly.
“Raids are undertaken frequently by Mizoram police, the Excise Department and Non-Governmental Organizations in the state, but we can say, it has not met with 100 per cent success. So, we should prepare tougher laws, which will yield results,” said Lalthanhawla.
Similarly, a ‘Link Worker Scheme’ of Champhai district of Mizoram organized the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking programme at I&PR Auditorium. They also firmly stated that drug smuggling will be strictly checked and action taken in the area, said a Mizoram daily newspaper.
Mizoram authorities said that Burmese nationals are involved in drug smuggling, gun running case and others crimes in the state.