Nearly 95,000 Spasmo-Proxyvon capsules seized on NH-29 near Dimapur

Excise officials in Nagaland seized 94,980 Spasmo-Proxyvon capsules and arrested one man in Chümoukedima district on Monday, November 9, in one of the larger pharmaceutical drug hauls reported in the Dimapur area this year.

According to a press release from the Superintendent of Excise and Prohibition, Dimapur, officials set up a mobile vehicle check-post after receiving intelligence and stopped a car carrying the consignment. A case has been registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and further investigation is under way.

The Morung Express, citing sources, reported that the car was stopped at around 5 am near Kuki Dolong on National Highway 29, that the driver arrested was a resident of Burma Camp in Dimapur, and that the capsules had been loaded in Assam and were headed for Zunheboto.

Youth body seeks sustained action

The Youth Association of Nagaland (YAN) said rising reports of drug-related cases in Dimapur were a matter of grave concern because of the damage to young people, families and communities.

It asked the district administration and police to step up anti-drug operations, identify those behind the supply and distribution of illegal substances, and ensure fair investigation of every case. At the same time, it called for counselling, medical care and rehabilitation for people struggling with addiction, and urged parents, schools, churches, tribal bodies and civil society to join awareness work. The association warned against one-off raids and isolated arrests, saying the fight needs continuous monitoring, proper investigation and effective prosecution.

Zunheboto flags unlicensed pharmacies

In Zunheboto, the district-level committee of the Narcotics Coordination Centre (NCORD) reviewed the drug situation at a meeting chaired by Additional Deputy Commissioner Shaying Sheu on the same day.

Members were told that a joint inspection by the Sub-Divisional Police Officer and the Drug Inspector had covered 17 pharmacies in Zunheboto town, and that 10 of them were found operating without valid pharmacy licences. No seizures were made during that inspection. The ADC directed the Drug Inspector to verify the matter without delay.

Why it matters

Spasmo-Proxyvon, a painkiller combination that contains a controlled opioid, is widely misused in the North East, and large consignments are regularly intercepted on the NH-29 corridor between Assam and Nagaland. Monday's seizure, and the gaps found in pharmacy licensing in Zunheboto, point to both the supply route and the local retail end of the problem.