Drug trafficking in Indo-Myanmar Border and its consequences in Manipur

Manipur shares its borders with Myanmar (Burma), among the world's largest producers of opium. During the 1970–1980, psychoactive substances or drugs, such as morphine, heroin or No. 4, etc., became widely available, pushing up their use in Manipur. Since then the state has witnessed a surge in drugs use, along with a substantial rise in the incidence of HIV/AIDS among injecting drug users (IDUs).

Against this backdrop, an attempt is made to understand the factors that led to the rise in drug use and to investigate how the porous North Eastern borders have been turned into a gateway for drug trafficking. Local drug peddlers, militants, law-enforcement agencies and even high-profile individuals have played a role in this illegal activity. Interestingly, more often than not, those involved in drug peddling are let off by law enforcement or face minimal punishment. The paper also highlights the important role that the State can play in combating this problem.