AIZAWL: The Excise and Narcotics Department Commissioner of Mizoram has revealed a concerning trend, saying that Aizawl and areas in and around the capital region has seen an unprecedented spike in illicit liquor production.
Conveying this development during a meeting between officials and leaders of the Central Young Mizo Association (CYMA), Commissioner Z. Lalhmangaiha, zeroed in on the influx of refugees from neighbouring Myanmar as the reason behind this alarming uptick.
The presence of more than 34,000 Myanmar nationals in various parts of Mizoram has evidently contributed to this surge, he said, attending the meeting convened by Excise Minister Lalnghinglova Hmar.
Minister Hmar highlighted the adverse impact of drug and alcohol abuse on Mizo society and stressed the necessity for a concerted effort between the government and civil society organisations to combat this issue.
Hmar further announced plans for collaboration between the excise department, other government agencies, and religious institutions to address the menace effectively.
Meanwhile, Commissioner Lalhmangaiha pledged to investigate reports of alcohol being openly sold in certain hotels and restaurants in Aizawl.
The concerning escalation in liquor production occurs despite Myanmar’s status as a dry state, where the manufacture, sale, and consumption of alcohol are strictly prohibited under the Mizoram Liquor (Prohibition) Act enacted in May 2019.
According to data procured by a national news agency from the Excise and Narcotics Department, significant quantities of illicit substances, including country-made liquor, Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL), and drugs such as heroin, marijuana, and Methamphetamine tablets, have been seized over the past four months.
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) unit of the state has urged Chief Minister Lalduhoma to clarify its stance on the prohibition law.
Expressing skepticism about the efficacy of the prohibition law, the BJP raised concerns about the open sale of liquor in several establishments in Aizawl and the clandestine distribution of Indian-made liquor across the state, calling for a decisive approach from the government.
