Why and How are Drugs Reaching Kashmir?

With China and Pakistan axis at an all-time high, Pakistan has been stronger than before and has been using a variety of tactics to fund its terrorist activities in Kashmir by providing funds, assistance and substance abuse. The Sino-Pak Nexus is greatly dependent on the Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) region and they have been using the region as a linchpin for stymieing India’s growth and fomenting issues in its Achilles Heel. Drug smuggling, thus, has become a great cause of concern in the Union Territory, creating security threats and weakening the International Border. Afghanistan and Pakistan have had a huge role to play in the on-goings in the region, as the former supplies drugs and well as men, material and training and their militant networks are strong enough to penetrate India’s borders through North Kashmir that has been lapped up by the persistent drug addiction and abuse and brainwashing. Moreover, post the abrogation of Article 370 in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan has been strongly engaged in giving a fillip to the drug sponsored terrorism in Kashmir with help from Afghanistan, mostly through good quality heroin that is then sent to various parts of the country through their associates based in those areas.

Obscured among regular merchandise or in secret niches, these narcotics are sent from the drug corridor in North Kashmir to Punjab, Gujarat, Mumbai and Rajasthan in transportation trucks and vehicles. The cross-border drug menace has spread its tentacles far and wide in India, with drugs also making their way into Kashmir through Gujarat via sea route from Pakistan, in trucks carrying products from mountain salt to cumin seeds and apples.

Prior to Indian Government’s 2019 order for suspension of the cross border trade that took place via the LoC, the drug mafia was active through this route. Heroin has been found in consignments of dress material in Uri and hawai chappals that were later dumped in Lal Chowk area of Srinagar.

Landmark Case Study: Attari Border (2019)

The heroin haul in a Pakistani truck at the Attari border in Amritsar on June 26, 2019 by the Customs Officials, is a landmark event to show how narco-terrorism became well-embedded in the fabric of Kashmir. The truck driver had unloaded six hundred bags of pink salt which seemed suspicious to the officials and after investigation, it turned out to be 15 bags containing 532 kilograms of heroin worth Rs 2000 crores. The case was handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) which found out that there was huge involvement across the border, from Afghanistan and Pakistan, in the narcotics racket; the profits from the scandal being used for funding the terror module in Kashmir. The NIA found linkages between Amritsar-based businessman, Gurpinder Singh for whom the consignment was apparently meant and a Kashmiri man, Tariq Lone who had linkages with the Noor and Noor Company based in Pakistan. From various interrogations, what came to light was that the drug cartel passed through various channels through Afghanistan-Pakistan and Kashmir. Loads of packages of other goods and mundane consignments prior to this recovery must have contained these shipments of heroin, according to the investigating authorities who discovered an ostentatious network of hawala operators helping the narcotics lobby. The huge network had linkages to Dubai and Kashmiris who had crossed over to Pakistan to become terrorists.

The Inside Story: A Look Into Other Case Studies

The persistent issue of drug abuse in Kashmir again came to limelight on the fateful evening of June 11, 2020 when the police personnel in Handwara town in North Kashmir stopped a car sans a registration plate. The passenger seat of the car had a black coloured bag safely tucked under it, which on further investigation contained over six kilograms of heroin and twenty lakhs in cash. The occupant of the seat was identified as Abdul Momin Peer and subsequent raids point out that the drug syndicate spans his entire family. His father-in-law, Ifthikar Andrabi and brother were arrested in successive raids, with 21 kilograms heroin and Rs 1 crore cash recovered from various properties in the family’s name. The seized drugs are estimated to be worth Rs 100 Crores. The story of poppy and guns of Kashmir was transferred to the NIA who found that Peer’s father-in-law has a number of relatives across the LoC in Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir, close to North Kashmir (Handwara region). It has been established by the agencies that they have links with the terrorist outfit, Lashkar-e-Toiba through which the high-level narcotic consignments have been sourced by the family from the Afg-Pak belt and then sent to other states in India from Kashmir, hereby, the profits of the narco-trade being used for furthering terrorism in the valley.

The profits of a recent drug consignment of Rs 5 crores to Amritsar wherein more than three crores were distributed among the ground workers in the valley and the terrorists of Lashkar-e-Toiba has been an important case study of the investigation of this drug scandal. According to the intelligence agencies, this is just the tip of the iceberg of the J&K especially North Kashmir’s drug romance and its narco-terrorism. The rampant drug trade has been a major source of funding to the terrorism in Kashmir as the recent cases have highlighted and outfits like Lashkar-e-Toiba Jaish-e-Mohammed, the Hizbul Mujahideen operating in the valley have been seen to be greatly involved in this narco-terrorism tête-à-tête. With further investigations and newer facts being unearthed, the NIA found another key player in the drug peddling from Hyderpora, Kashmir: Afaq Ahmad Wani from whom they recovered Rs 30 lakhs in cash and three kilos of heroin. Interestingly, the accused is a bank manager by profession.

Conclusion

As evident from the various interrogations and recoveries made by the investigation agencies, North Kashmir has, hence, become a safe haven for the terrorist outfits and the narco-terrorism is on its peak in the region, the profits from the drug consortia providing the basis for the development and deepening of the terrorist activities and associations in the valley. Moreover, the issue does not end here as the drug peril is spreading its roots in various parts of India, creating an appalling security threat for the state. The drug issue has extremely dark undertones to it and the need is for a coordinated and strategic approach by the authorities and government, to stem the issues at the ground level.  

References:

Ahuja, N. B. (2020, July 18). Cross border narco-terror becoming a major concern for India. THE WEEK. https://www.theweek.in/news/india/2020/07/18/cross-border-narco-terror-becoming-a-major-concern-for-india.html

Hussain, A. (2020, June 27). ‘Narco-terror’ module busted in Kashmir, 2 held with Rs 65 crore narcotics and weapons. Hindustan Times, Srinagar.

Pandita, R. (2020, September 11). Guns and Poppy. OPEN, pp. 26-31.

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Charas, marijuana, bhang are derivatives of cannabis, which are popular in tradition and are used by adolescents. While some people get dependent on it others leave it after early experimentation. The drug has been legal for most of human history and illegal for 1% of the time since the time its been in use. 

ADVANTAGES

• Controls epileptic seizures– THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) by binding to the brain cells which are responsible for regulating relaxation and controlling excitability control seizures. 
• Inflammatory bowel diseases– Studies suggest that the use of marijuana can treat patients with Inflammatory bowel diseases.
• Prevention of Cancer– Scientists have discovered that the use of marijuana can prevent Cancer. 
• Alzheimer’s disease– Marijuana might slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

DISADVANTAGES

• Memory Formation– The use of marijuana block memory formation especially where the brain is still developing, because of which the legal stage to involve in its usage is 21 in the countries which have legalised it. 
• Balance– THC messes with the balance of a person which created problems in walking, talking and driving correctly. 
• Side effects– The common side effects of consuming marijuana include anxiety, panic, fear and distrust.
• Psychosis– The excessive usage of the drug might result in psychosis which comprises delusion, hallucinations and loss of identity

MARIJUANA IN INDIA

In India, Cannabis has been in use since 2000 BC. A study conducted by the Indian Institute of Medical Sciences in the year 2019 shows that cannabis has been consumed by 7.2 billion Indians in the past year. As per the 2016 drug report of UNODC, the retail price of cannabis was the lowest in the world at US$0.10 per gram. The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 is the central law that deals with cannabis in India. Although, states have their laws regarding the sale, consumption or use of marijuana. In general, it is seen as a crime and can land someone in trouble. In India, Uttarakhand was the first state to allow the cultivation of Hemp for commercial purposes. 

Under the 1985 act, anyone found engaged in the practice trade or consumption of Cannabis or bud can be made liable for an imprisonment of up to 20 years. Even the possession of drugs attracts legal charges which depend upon the quantity in the possession and the purpose does not matter. The production of hemp and marijuana is also strictly banned in the country. However, the state governments have been vested with the power to grant cultivation license for some purposes (medical and research). Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, the two northern Indian states have received the license to cultivate hemp. 

The Indian market for cannabis has received attention recently due to various NGOs and activists filing petitions to legalise it. The arguments often point towards the medical benefits which cannot be ignored and the boost that it can bring for the Indian economy with millions of jobs due to ideal climatic conditions required for cultivation. 

India shares a medicinal and mythical history with Marijuana. It’s been in the lives of people for centuries now. In 1986, Under the pressure of the medical lobby of the US, the country gave in and formed strict narcotic laws that prohibited the production, sale, consumption and transportation of drugs illegal. Since then, arguments in favour of legalising this drug and keeping it banned have been made. The ban did not bring much change, except for the fact that a legal source of government income has been shifted to international drug groups. 

COMPARISION WITH THE WORLD

The cannabis was legalised for medical purposes by Germany in the year 2017, which left a remark on other EU members. The recent rise in interest and investment by the Uk and Europe in the medical cannabis market is the result of deregulation of cannabis for medical causes. Denmark, Poland, Portugal and the UK have changed their regulations related to medical cannabis. In November 2019, the NHS in England approved two cannabis-based medicines which were used to treat epilepsy and multiple sclerosis. Uruguay, Canada and other 11 US states legalised the export, import, possession, distribution of cannabis for research and medical purposes. Luxembourg, who legalised the market for medical purposes now intends to loosen their laws further to legalise its production and consumption, it would be the first European country to do so. Only four countries have accepted and allowed the medical and recreational use of cannabis which are Uruguay, Canada, Georgia and South Africa.

India might have taken its first step towards legalising Cannabis. The Delhi high court in 2019, served a notice to the centre challenging the prohibition on the plant snd demanding justification for criminalising it for industrial and medical purposes. Uttarakhand already came out in open when it allowed the cultivation of hemp in 1000 hectares of land in 2018, which can be sold to the government only. The court’s notice is the result of a PIL filed by the great legalization movement India trust (GLM) which is a non-profit organisation working towards raising awareness about the medical, industrial, economical and other benefits of cannabis while making efforts to decriminalise it. The petition challenged certain provisions of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, which banned the use of Cannabis. The medical benefits of the drug were pointed out and alleged that banning it violates Article 21 (Right to life) of the constitution.

Cultivation of the drug is illegal in India. However, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research received permission from the health ministry to cultivate the crop in j&k in the year 2017 solely for medical purposes. while the industrial, medical and recreation use of the drug is illegal in India. It is receiving acceptance across the globe. 

CONCLUSION

The cannabis market has been misunderstood in India for a larger part of it. The laws are outdated and require re-consideration. The increasing support for the market and the rising number of hemp and cannabis seems encouraging. The economic and medical benefits that India would derive from the market cannot be ignored, considering the circumstances of support received by the drug; it might not be long that the Indian government unlocks the potential to legalise the market. 

Studies show that marijuana is less harmful than other drugs like cocaine, morphine, alcohol etc, and provide relaxation and comfort to the senses, unlike others which lead to aggression in most cases. The country has taken significant steps towards legalising marijuana for medical purposes and it might someday allow the industrial benefits to expand too. Moreover, its legalisation would stop illegal international drug groups to enter and harm the economy as before its criminalisation it used to be a source of income for the state. A check on the use can be maintained as prevention often makes a drug stronger. 

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