Assam MP Gaurav Gogoi writes to PM Modi over smuggling of Burmese areca nuts, drugs

Assam MP Gaurav Gogoi today wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi raising the concern of the smuggling of Burmese areca nuts and other narcotic substances from neighbouring Myanmar into Northeast. 

Gogoi raised the issue of the smuggling of areca nuts and drugs into the Northeast from Myanmar through the porous Indo-Myanmar border in Manipur and Mizoram. Here, the Assam MP urged the PM to intervene into the matter. 

"Recent media coverage has shed light on the alarming frequency of truck entries at the Merapani border in Assam, indicating that smuggled Myanmar-origin areca nuts, colloquially known as Burmese supari, are making their way into our country through the porous India-Myanmar border in Mizoram and Manipur. Subsequently, these smuggled areca nuts find their way into Nagaland, from where they are distributed to gutkha industries in Kanpur, Lucknow, and West Bengal. These activities are conducted with blatant disregard for customs duties and regulations," said Gogoi in the letter. 

Gogoi also talked of the drug trade that is happening through the Myanmar border into India's Northeast. He said several types of drugs including heroin and yaba tablets are being smuggled into the Northeast. 

"Other drugs like heroin, opium, Yaba Tablets, Morphine, Methamphetamine tablets. along with a huge number of foreign currencies, are also being smuggled from the neighboring country. Media reports have also highlighted the use of oil tankers as a means to reroute these illicit goods through Manipur, further complicating the issue. The implications of this illegal trade are manifold. These activities not only lead to significant revenue loss for the government but also pose a threat to public health," said the Assam MP. 

Gaurav Gogoi also called upon the Prime Minsiter to ensure that strict action is taken against smuggling activities in the region. 

"According to media reports and the general public's view, the Burmese supari smuggling nexus and other narcotic substances involve political influence, which sends a wrong message to the public. Immediate action is necessary to address this issue.
Therefore, I urge you to take decisive action to combat this smuggling nexus. Strengthening border security, enhancing surveillance measures, and cracking down on smuggling networks are essential steps to address this issue effectively," he said.