Kathmandu, June 26: Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deepak Thapa has emphasized that drug abuse can be effectively controlled if all sectors of society unite in the effort. Speaking at a program organized in Kathmandu on Thursday to mark the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, he called for collective responsibility in addressing the growing challenge.

Highlighting the alarming rise in drug-related activities within the Kathmandu Valley, IGP Thapa said the Nepal Police has intensified its crackdown through a coordinated campaign led by the Kathmandu Valley Police Office. He stated that awareness initiatives targeting all local governments, various social groups, and schools are being rolled out to combat drug use and trafficking at the grassroots level.

Thapa stressed the need to formulate and implement strategic plans aimed at curbing both the demand and supply of illegal narcotics. Sharing recent data, he informed that by the end of mid-June this fiscal year, Nepal Police had seized 65% more marijuana, 77% more opium, 79% more heroin, and 53% more pharmaceutical drugs compared to the same period last fiscal year.

He warned that the issue of drug abuse is becoming increasingly serious and urged timely, unified action to prevent the loss of Nepal’s productive and creative youth to addiction.

People’s News Monitoring Service