Amit Shah asserted both Afghanistan and Myanmar accountable for supplying drugs to entire world

Union Home Minister Amit Shah presided over a regional meeting on 'Drug Trafficking and National Security' in Guwahati on Saturday (October 8). 

The meeting's agenda is to examine the drug situation in the northeastern region and potential solutions.

Chief Ministers and DGPs from all the northeastern states will also attend the high-level meeting.

Addressing the regional meeting on ‘Drug Trafficking and National Security' with CMs and DGPs of North-eastern states in Guwahati, the Union Home Minister said, "This is for the second time such a meeting has been held, the first was in Chandigarh wherein we considered Kashmir to New Delhi and built a stratgy to fight against drug abuse."

Amit Shah asserted that both Afghanistan and Myanmar (Burma) to be held responsible to supply drugs to the entire world further impacting the north and northeast parts of India the most.

As the northeast can be regarded as the entry point, the government should fight here itself and stop drug trafficking.

Further, the Home Minister asked all the states to create Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) which will act as a single nodal point for all Narcotics related issues.

Earlier on October 8, around 40,000 kg of drugs which were confiscated in a massive drive carried out by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) were destroyed in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who was present virtually in Guwahati.

"Till now we have successfully destroyed 1 lakh kilos of drugs", Amit Shah added.

Notably, PM Modi on the occasion of the 75th Anniversary of Indian Independence (Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav) has set a goal for each and every state for a drug-free India.

"If we can stop drugs in each and every corner of India..we can also stop the dirty money which will result in the stoppage of other evil activities like insurgency," said Amit Shah.

On directions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Ministry of Home Affairs has adopted a three-pronged formula of strengthening the institutional structure, empowerment and coordination of all narcotics agencies and a comprehensive awareness campaign to crack down on narcotics

Union Home Minister said that every state should have one Forensic Science Laboratory and the Government of India is ready to give financial assistance of 50% in this endeavour.

A Regional Office of NCB has been established at Guwahati, New Regional Offices are being set up at Agartala in Tripura and Pasighat/Lower Siang in Arunachal Pradesh and a Zonal Office has also been started at New Jalpaiguri for better coverage of the areas adjoining Sikkim 

The issue of drug smuggling is not an issue of the Centre or state but a national issue and efforts to deal with it should also be national and unified.

Union Home Minister emphasised that Chief Ministers of all Northeastern states should chair Narcotics Coordination (NCORD) meetings and efforts should be made to percolate these to the district level in order to fight against drug abuse.

Union Home Minister favoured the use of drones, artificial intelligence and satellite mapping for identification and control of areas cultivating opium.

Cases of drugs should be investigated thoroughly from their source to destination to crack down on the entire network

Notably, a total of 1257 cases were registered between 2006-2013 which increased by 152 per cent to 3172 between 2014-2022, the total number of arrests during the same period increased by 260 per cent to 4888 from 1362

During 2006-2013, 1.52 lakh kg of drugs were seized which doubled to 3.30 lakh kg between 2014-2022, drugs worth Rs 768 crore were seized during 2006-2013, which increased by 25 times to Rs 20,000 crore between 2014-2022.