Delegates resolve to enhance capacity building to prevent and counter illicit drug trafficking

The Narcotics Control Bureau, Ministry of Home Affairs organized the 2nd anti-drug Working Group meeting of Heads of Drug Control Agencies of BRICS countries here today. The meeting was inaugurated by the Union Home Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh earlier in the day. The meeting assumes significance as India shall be hosting the eighth BRICS summit in October, 2016 in Goa. The seventh BRICS summit was held in July 2015 in Russia.

In keeping with the spirit of the eThekwani Declaration, the first anti-drug working group meeting of Heads of Drug Control Agencies of BRICS countries was organized at Moscow, Russia in November, 2015. The meeting organized by the Narcotics Control Bureau, India today was the second such meeting of the Heads of Drug Control Agencies. Besides the delegates from the member countries, senior officers from the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Ministry of Health and Family welfare and Narcotics Control Bureau, Ministry of Home Affairs along with the Directors General of Border Guarding Forces and the Paramilitary attended the inaugural session.

The Union Home Minister in his address highlighted the importance accorded to the BRICS by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi. The Home Minister emphasized that India attaches a lot of value to the BRICS as an Association of fast developing economies. It was the need of the hour that BRICS expanded its mandate to cover and discuss issues relating to trafficking of narcotics and the looming menace of narco-terrorism.

The Director General, NCB Shri Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar in his speech highlighted the fact of generation of illicit fund flows in the drug trade, which were a source of funding for anti national activities and narco-terrorism. He emphasized that there was a need to disrupt this fund flow.

The delegates from the five BRICS countries, viz Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa participated in the discussions which followed the inaugural session. The meeting was chaired by Shri Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar, Director General, Narcotics Control Bureau, who was leading the Indian delegation.

During the meeting, the participants discussed the drug trafficking situation including the illicit cultivation and production of Opium and Heroin in South West Asia and South East Asia and illicit cultivation  of Coca bush in South America, and Illicit cultivation of Cannabis plant used for production of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, diversion and trafficking of precursor chemicals, illicit financial flows from drug proceeds, financing of terrorism in certain cases, maritime drug trafficking and challenges and emergence of new psycho-active substances that have posed serious threat to health, safety and well being of society across globe, especially of the youth and also undermines the economic, social and political stability and development of BRICS member states.

The delegates also resolved to develop and enhance cooperation and collaboration among the Member States to monitor current trends and drug trafficking routes, exchange of information among the drug law enforcement agencies, share and exchange experiences, best practices and enhance capacity building in order to prevent and counter illicit drug trafficking and related crimes.

****

KSD/NK/PK/KM