New Delhi, July 18 (Representative) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said a new danger has now emerged as the entire business of drugs is getting linked with narco terror and the money coming from this is emerging as the most serious threat to the country’s security. He said due to the drug trade, other channels of economic transactions meant to weaken the country’s economy have also been strengthened. Many such organisations have been formed which are getting involved not only in the drug trade but also in illegal hawala dealings and tax evasion. He said, “Drug smuggling has now become a multi-layered crime which we need to deal with robustly and stringently”. The Minister chaired the 7th Apex Level Meeting of Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD) at Vigyan Bhawan here.Shah said all agencies, especially the state police, not only should aim to catch those who use drugs but also to apprehend those involved in this trade and dismantle the entire network. For this, there is a need to emphasise on ‘Top to Bottom’ and ‘Bottom to Top’ probe. Raising concern about synthetic drugs, Shah said this problem is now coming to the fore in India as well and recently many illegal laboratories have been caught. “Our goal should be that neither will we allow even a single gram of drugs to enter India from anywhere nor will we allow India’s borders to be used in any way for drug trade.
Drugs should be taken seriously wherever they come from or wherever they go and unless the whole world fights together, we cannot win this battle,” Shah said. The Home Minister said over the last five years, the Modi Government had tried to fight the battle based on a ‘Whole of Government Approach’ and on the three pillars – Structural, Institutional and Informational Reforms.He said from 2004 to 2013, one lakh 52 thousand kg of drugs worth Rs 5,933 crore were seized, while in the last ten years, this quantity increased to 5,43,000 kg, which is worth more than Rs 22,000 crore. Shah said, “Unless every citizen of the country below the age of 35 pledges to fight this battle and every citizen above the age of 35 pledges” to guide them, we cannot win this battle”. He added that even the governments cannot win this battle, rather there should be an approach to take this battle to the 130-crore people of the country”.On this occasion, the Home Minister also launched the National Narcotics Helpline ‘MANAS’ (Madak Padarth Nishedh Asuchna Kendra) and virtually inaugurated the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Zonal Office at Srinagar. Moreover, he also released NCB’s Annual Report 2023’ and Compendium on ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat’. The Zonal office at Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir will focus on curbing drug trafficking through the northwestern border of India.
The Annual Report-2023 of NCB highlights the efforts and accomplishments of NCB and all other agencies in its ongoing war against drug trafficking and drug abuse. It contains the data for seizures done by all agencies in recent years, the latest trends on drug trafficking, action under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (PITNDPS), financial investigation including action under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) etc. MANAS will have a toll-free number 1933, a web portal, a mobile App and an Umang App so that citizens can connect with NCB round-the-clock with anonymity to share information on drug peddling and trafficking or consult related to their issues like drug abuse, de-addiction and rehabilitation. All stakeholders including ministries, departments, state government and heads of all agencies, working towards Nasha Mukt Bharat, senior Central Government functionaries including the Union Home Secretary, Revenue Secretary, Secretary Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment (MoSJ&E), Director of the Intelligence Bureau and Director General of NCB, participated in the meeting.Chief Secretaries, DGsP, and Anti-Narcotics Task Force Heads of all states and union territories participated in the meeting virtually. Senior representatives of NCB, DRI, ED, BSF, SSB, CRPF, CISF, RPF, Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard, MoSJ&E, and others also attended the meeting.