In 2014, when Shri Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister, the Government adopted the policy of zero tolerance against drugs and gradually by removing shortcomings in the system, it has made the fight against drugs impenetrable and a fast-paced battle.

Shri Shah said that today for the first time after Independence, with a clear direction and fast pace, we have been able to carry forward the fight against drugs, its results are also being seen.

Drugs have an adverse effect on the security of the individual, society, economy and country,  that is why it is necessary to uproot them with firmness.

No healthy, prosperous, capable and safe nation can achieve its goals without adopting a zero tolerance policy against drug trafficking.

Drugs smuggling and their spread are very dangerous for any society, when drug smuggling spreads it hollows out generations.

In the fight against drugs, the Ministry of Home Affairs has gone ahead with a multi-pronged approach, has undertaken several administrative reforms and also developed new methods and has taken a pro-active approach to engage the States.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has also created a coordination mechanism through NCORD so that there are no loopholes till the district level

Nearly 200 percent more cases have been registered in the last 8 years between the years 2014-2022 as compared to 2006-2013. This is a 260 percent increase in the number of arrests

The quantity of drugs seized has more than doubled, between 2006 and 2013, 1.52 lakh kg of drugs were seized, while between 2014 and 2022, 3.3 lakh kg of drugs were seized.

From 2006 to 2013, drugs worth Rs. 768 crore were caught, while between 2014 and 2021, the Government of India has run a campaign to capture and destroy drugs worth Rs. 20 thousand crore.

The Union Home Minister said that from June to August 15, a 75-day drug eradication campaign is in progress and today we have destroyed about 31,000 kg of drugs in four cities.

At the end of the 75-day campaign on August 15, the quantity will reach one lakh kg with an estimated black market value of around Rs. 3,000 crore.

Today the NCORD portal has also been launched. From this portal all agencies across the country will not only be able to get information but it will also be able to exchange best practices of NCORD.

The Ministry of Home Affairs is working on a three tier formula for strengthening the institutional structure, empowerment and coordination of all narco agencies, comprehensive awareness campaigns and de-addiction

21 States have also constituted Anti-Narcotics Task Forces

To prevent misuse of dual-use drugs, a permanent inter-ministerial committee has been formed with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Ministry of Chemicals under the initiative of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

There is a need to act quickly to curb drugs and the dark net, both dark web and cryptocurrency trading are intertwined, the Home Ministry recently constituted a task force on the dark web and cryptocurrencies

An agreement has been signed between NCB and National Forensic Science University, under which the National Forensic Science University and NCB will provide guidance in establishing a modern forensic lab in any State

The drug problem is greater in Punjab as it is a border state, therefore greater efforts will have to be made, and we will also set up a forensic lab in Amritsar as well as open a center of the NCB which will provide training

Shri Amit Shah said the Government of India stands shoulder to shoulder with Punjab in the fight against drugs, to free the youth of Punjab from drugs and we are with Punjab in whatever the State requires.

 The Union Home Minister assured that the Government of India will provide strong support to Punjab's anti-drug fight under the leadership of Shri Narendra Modi.

We have identified 272 districts and more than 80,000 villages, we are clear where we have to fight this battle, every person, every agency should take up this fight strongly in their respective areas

Government of India has entered into separate MoUs on narcotics with 44 countries and exchange of information has taken place.

Shri Amit Shah said he has great expectations from the States, the Central Government alone cannot fight this battle, the State's battle is more than that of the center, only then will results be seen and a State cannot fight alone, we all together have to carry this fight forward.

Even in case of large seizure of drugs, the Union Home Minister requested the States not to make it a Center-State issue, wherever they feel this matter goes outside the State border, they should cooperate with NCB and NIA

In the year of Amrit Mahotsav of Independence, Shri Narendra Modi has said that it is the Amrit Kal from the Amrit Mahotsav to the Centenary of Independence, Shri Amit Shah made an appeal during the conference that everyone should make a pledge that the youth of India should be completely freed from drugs and will contribute to the creation of a prosperous and New India

 

The Union Minister for Home & Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah addressed the National Conference on Drug Trafficking and National Security in Chandigarh today. The program was attended by Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, the Governor of Punjab and Administrator of Chandigarh, the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, the Chief Ministers of Punjab and Haryana, Union Home Secretary, Director Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), including officers of the Border Security Force (BSF), National Investigation Agency (NIA) and NCB as well as ANTF of States. The chief of NCORD and its members were also present.

On this occasion, the Union Home Minister said smuggling and spread of drugs is very dangerous for any society. When drug smuggling spreads, it hollows out the generations and hollows the roots of society. No healthy, prosperous, capable and safe nation can achieve its potential without adopting a zero tolerance policy against drug trafficking. He said the fight against drugs is also very important socially. It is also very important from the point of view of the country's security, as the dirty money generated from the drugs business is used in anti-national activities. On one hand we have to save the youth and future generations from ruin by stopping drug smuggling and its spread, at the same time, the dirty money generated through the drugs trade is used against the country, it is also our national responsibility to stop this.

Shri Amit Shah said in 2014, when Shri Narendra Modi assumed the position of the Prime Minister, the Government adopted a policy of zero tolerance against drugs and gradually the government is making the fight against drugs impenetrable by filling gaps in the system. And a fast-paced battle has created an ongoing battle. He said after Independence, the battle against drugs was never fought with such a clear direction and speed, but today with a clear direction and speed, we have been able to carry forward the fight against drugs. Its results are also being seen. Drugs have an ill effect on the security of the individual, society, economy and the nation, so it is necessary to uproot it with firmness. Shri Shah said the Government of India along with the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Social Welfare, Department of Revenue, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and the Ministry of Education have begun the battle through the NCB. The Ministry of Home Affairs alone cannot fight this battle. It is also necessary to bring out children who are caught up, and for this a partnership with the Ministry of Social Justice and the Ministry of Health is also needed. The Ministry of Education, Ministry of Social Justice and Ministry of Home Affairs will have to work together to ensure that more youth do get addicted to drugs. The dirty money generated should not dent our national security.

The Union Home Minister said the Home Ministry has moved ahead with a multi-pronged approach in the fight against drugs. Several administrative reforms have been taken, new methods have also been developed and a pro-active approach has been taken to engage the States. On the one hand, a center has been set up in the National Forensic Science University campus to provide State-of-the-Art forensic science labs. On the other hand, discussions are also on going with stakeholders to make the law stricter. On the other hand, the Ministry of Home Affairs has also created a co-ordination mechanism through NCORD to ensure that there are no loopholes anywhere up to the district level. The results of these coordinated efforts are encouraging. These results show that it is not a problem that is undiagnosed and cannot be eliminated from the roots. He said if NCORD reaches the district and tehsil levels and all stakeholders work together, then in a few years Shri Narendra Modi’s dream of a drugs-free India will be realized.

Shri Amit Shah said that in the last eight years under the leadership of the Prime Minister great results have been achieved in the fight against drugs. Nearly 200 percent more cases have been registered in the last 8 years between 2014-2022 as compared to 2006-2013. The number of arrests has increased by 260 percent. There has been an 800 percent increase in quality cases. The quatinty of drugs seized has more than doubled. Between 2006 and 2013, 1.52 lakh kgs of drugs were seized, while between 2014 and 2022, 3.3 lakh kgs of drugs were seized. There has been focus on drugs that cause more harm and damage the body and society. Drugs worth Rs. 768 crore were seized between 2006 to 2013, while between 2014 and 2021, the Government of India has been running a campaign to destroy drugs worth Rs. 20 thousand crore:

	2006-13	2014-22
Total cases	1,257	3,172	Increase of more than 200%
Total Arrests	1,363	4,888	260%  Increase in Arrests
Seized Drugs(KG)	1.52 Lakh KG	3.3Lakh KG	More than Two times
Seized Drugs (in Crore)	768 crore	20,000 crore	More than 25 Times

 

These results show that our campaign is on the right path. If there is a need to increase the pace, build faith and eliminate the few loopholes that still exist, that shall be done.

The Union Home Minister said the subject of today’s conference is very serious. We want to percolate the seriousness of the Government of India from the State to the districts, districts to the tehsils and tehsils to gram panchayats and that is why this conference has the participation of representatives of five States/Union Territories. He said there are two areas – the North-East and the Northern part - where drugs come through borders. We cannot sit idle as every problem has a solution and needs to be found. In this battle it is very important to bring stakeholders together and fight the battle with synergy. If there is discussion amongst all the agencies working in narcotics control and efforts of all are complementary to one another, results will be widespread. The benefits that will emerge from the brainstorming at this conference, will help save future generations.

 

Shri Amit Shah said the government has made a major change in its approach in the fight against narcotics. NCB has developed a SOP. If narcotics are apprehended in excess quantity, it will be tracked till its last point. If someone who consumes is caught, then investigations have to be carried out about the source from across the borders of our country. This holistic approach of top to bottom and bottom to top has helped in bringing positive results. On the instructions of the Union Home Minister, a 75-day drug-destruction campaign was started from June 1 to August 15 and so far 51,000 kgs of drugs worth Rs. 1,200 crore have been destroyed. Today the black market value of about 31,000 kg of drugs destroyed by is around Rs. 800 crore. Thus till date 82,000 kgs of drugs worth about Rs.2,000 crore have been destroyed. At the end of the 75-day campaign on August 15, the quantity will reach one lakh kgs., with an estimated black market value of around Rs. 3,000 crore.

	Amount of Drugs Destroyed (Approx.)	Price in International Market (approx.)
01 June 2022 to 29 July 2022	51,000 Kg	1,200 Crore
As on 30 July 2022	31000 Kg	800 Crore
Drugs destroyed till today	82000 Kg	2000 Crore

 

The Union Home Minister said the NCORD portal has also been launched today. From this portal agencies will not only be able to get information, and there will also be an exchange of best practices of NCORD, all landmark judgments about narcotics that have come across the country will be available on the portal, training for prosecutors will be carried out and Information will be easily accessible at the district level police stations in thrust areas. He urged the police of the five States and all agencies related to narcotics to use the portal and said its use will help in the fight against narcotics across the country.

Shri Amit Shah said a National Integrated Database (NIDAN) on Narco-criminals has also been created. It has data on narcotics crimes of NDPS authorized agencies and NCBs. Different modules were also included in the data base. Shri Shah requested everyone to use the diagnostics dashboard. He said a dog squad has also been started and training Indian dogs for narcotics has been started. Shri Shah said he is confident that we will move towards becoming self-reliant.

The Union Home Minister said the Ministry of Home Affairs working on a three tier formula for strengthening the institutional structure. First, empowerment and coordination of all narcotics agencies to provide them with the best practices, best equipment and facilities from around the world, second wide awareness campaigns and third de-addiction. The fight against narcotics is divided into these three fronts and work is progressing rapidly in these three areas. Prime Minister Narendra Modi believes that problems can be solved only through a  Whole of Government Approach and this is a problem in which it is difficult to achieve success if this approach is not adopted. He said if we do not intensify the awareness campaign to make youth free from drug addiction and do not stop the flow of drugs, then we will fail. Therefore, we have to make progress on these three points together.

Shri Amit Shah said in view of the need to create a National Narcotics Helpline, NCB has begun efforts on the Manas Helpline and it is expected that it will be placed before the public in a few days. The Home Minister said he was very happy to inform that 21 States have also constituted Anti-Narcotics Task Forces. Shri Shah requested Chief Ministers, Chief Secretaries and DGPs of all States that the remaining States should form task forces quickly and where they have been formed, they should work to take it down to the lower levels. The Home Minister said there is a need to work quickly to curb drugs and the dark net. Dark web and cryptocurrency trading are both intertwined. The Ministry of Home Affairs has recently constituted a task force on the Dark Web and Cryptocurrencies. The ministry is also making efforts to provide training. Drug trafficking and cryptocurrency are today synonymous with one another. We will have to take action at a rapid pace at the State level also, youth and new technology experts will also have to connect with it. Shri Shah said an agreement has been signed between the NCB and the National Forensic Science University, under which the National Forensic Science University and the NCB will guide a State in setting-up a modern forensic lab. Efforts are also being made to prepare an SOP.

The Union Home Minister said drugs problem is more pronounced in Punjab as it is a border state, so more efforts will have to be put in in Punjab. He said a forensic lab would also be set up in Amritsar as well as a small center of the NCB would also be opened which would provide training. Shri Shah said the Government of India stands shoulder to shoulder with Punjab in the fight against drugs. We know that the youth of Punjab have to be freed from the problems related with drugs, and the Government of India will provide all that is required by the State government. Shri Amit Shah assured that the Government of India will provide strong support under the leadership of the Prime Minister to Punjab's fight against drugs. He said cultivation of illegal drugs will have to be stopped through the increasing use of drones and technology in the State. NCB is making a joint effort with the Bhaskaracharya Centre, area identification is being done through satellites and a unique type of satellite image recognition system is also being developed. This will help in getting information about the area where drugs are being cultivated, and this will reduce the delay in destruction of drugs. He requested States to get in touch with the Bhaskaracharya Institute which is ready to help.

Shri Amit Shah said misuse of dual-use drugs has to be stopped, for which a permanent inter-ministerial committee has been formed with the Ministry of Health and Social Family Welfare and the Ministry of Chemicals under the initiative of the Ministry of Home Affairs. He said it is also very important to stop smuggling through the sea route. Government of India agencies, along with the Coast Guard and States located on the coastline, have caught the maximum number of drugs in terms of value in the past year in a very large quantities. He said India is at the crossroads of major international sea routes, drugs should not to be allowed to enter through Sri Lanka, nor from countries in the East, nor from our maritime borders. India will neither allow drugs to be made, nor will it allow drugs to go out. India has a pledge of zero tolerance against drugs under the leadership of Shri Narendra Modi Customs and DRI have also developed different softwares and the Ministry of Home Affairs also conducts intensive consultations with both FIU and ED for financial investigations.

Shri Amit Shah said the Ministry of Home Affairs has identified 272 districts and more than 80 thousand villages and work will focus on them. Every person, every agency should work with determination in their respective areas. The Government of India has entered into separate MoUs on narcotics with 44 countries and information is being exchanged. Shri Shah said he has great expectations from the States. The Central government alone cannot fight this battle. Together we have to take this fight forward. The more the NCORD portal is used up to the district, tehsil and village levels, the more will we be able to solve problems. We have to make good use of the NCORD system and the Joint Coordination Committee. The Home Minister said he has requested States not to make it a Centre-State matter, even in case of large seizure of drugs,. Wherever States feel that the matter goes outside the border of their State, you should cooperate with the NCB and the NIA. He said, if the matter is outside the State border then hand it over to the NCB and if it is outside the country then hand it over to the NIA. Parliament has enabled the NIA to conduct investigations abroad. Shri Shah said these two Central agencies will investigate by involving the concerned States.

The Home Minister said discussions are taking place with the Supreme Court for a fast track court as well. He said the youth of the States that are participating in today’s conference and also from the North East, which is a gateway to drugs are most affected.  Therefore, these five states will also have to create a coordination system amongst themselves. He said today drones remain a major problem for smuggling of drugs and weapons and counterfeit currency notes, but on this issue also work is in progress on a war footing. The Home Minister appealed to participants at the conference that they should pledge to completely free the youth from drugs and contribute to the creation of a prosperous and New India. He expressed confidence that the States will play an active role in removing the problem of drugs in their respective areas.

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