DHANGADHI: The business hub of Sudurpaschim Province, Dhangadhi, has become the centre of drug trafficking and a transit point for drug peddlers.

District Police Office, Kailali stated that illegal drugs easily enter Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan City owing to the open border between Nepal and India. Dhangadhi is located right at the Nepal-India border in the south-west part of the country and serves as the administrative centre of Kailali.

Youth of the region have become vulnerable to drug abuse and drug peddling. Last month, two teenagers were arrested in possession of illegal drugs in Milan Chok of Dhangadhi. Police investigation revealed that the youths -- arrested while transporting Nitravet from the Indian side -- were involved in the abuse and dealing of drugs. Residents of Doti, they had come to Dhangadhi to pursue their education. Police have sent both the teenagers to a juvenile correction centre.

Likewise, police took under custody three others, two teenaged girls and one youth, from a hotel room in Dhangadhi, in possession of about four grams of brown sugar. A charge has been filed against the three who have been implicated with drug abuse and drug trafficking.

These are only a couple of examples of how the youths in the region -- men and women, girls and boys -- have been falling into the trap of drugs. Only in the current fiscal year, 83 individuals have been arrested, out of which 53 cases have been registered at the court for prosecution. Among the arrested, the majority are young people who go to schools and colleges.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Dakshya Kumar Basnet at the DPO said, "Large number of young people being involved in drug abuse is a great loss to the nation." He added that it is vital that such individuals are sent to rehabilitation, awareness programmes are carried out, and families are made alert to prevent more people from getting into the habit.

It is difficult to bring back people from the lethal habit only through legal action, said police, adding that awareness, counselling and support play a major role.

(Translated by Priyanka Adhikari)