Hetauda, May 25

Transaction of illegal drugs continues unabated in Makawanpur, according to police data of the past three years.

According to District Police Office Chief SP Mukesh Kumar Singh, data has shown an increasing trend of involvement of Indian nationals and Indian vehicles in the smuggling racket, in recent years. As per data, police in the district confiscated 1,980 kg marijuana, 224 kg hashish, 613 grams heroin, among other narcotics, in the fiscal 2016-17. Police arrested 171 persons including 32 Indian nationals and filed 131 illegal drugs-related cases.

In the last fiscal, police filed a total of 155 cases related to illegal drugs and arrested 222 persons, including 15 Indian nationals. Police had seized 1,110 kg marijuana, 70 kg hashish, among other narcotics, during the period.

In the current fiscal, the total number of cases related to illegal drugs stands somewhere at 124 while 147 people, including 24 Indian nationals, have been arrested till mid-May.

According to police, Makawanpur’s Manahari, Raksirang and Kailash rural municipalities, among other places, are mostly affected by the trade and transaction of illegal drugs.

Chief District Officer Asman Tamang said his office was doing its best to control the illegal transaction of narcotics in the district.