SHILLONG: Meghalaya is slowly emerging as the "heroin distribution centre" of India, a police official said on Tuesday."With Shillong as the transit point, many players, some with militant background or affiliations are involved in the drug trafficking business to fund their anti-social activities," said East Khasi Hills district police chief Davis Marak.Addressing a programme on the occasion of the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking 2018, he said: "The rise in petty crimes in some areas has also been attributed to the growing numbers of drug users, particularly among the youth, who commit such crimes to satiate their cravings."Noting that most traffickers come from low income families or those with a history of broken homes, Marak stressed on the need to pay more attention to the youth and urged all stakeholders to work hand in hand with police to curb the menace of drug abuse and illicit trafficking.He also told the gathering that in its continued efforts to curb the dangers of drug abuse and illicit trafficking, the Police Department, beginning this week, is also organising a week long awareness programme in different localities, schools and colleges.

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