New Delhi, Oct 08 (KNS): Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a meeting with Chief Ministers, Chief Secretaries and Director Generals of Police of all North Eastern States on 'Drug Trafficking and National Security' in Guwahati, Assam today
In Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, the Ministry of Home Affairs has strongly resolved to fulfil the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Drug-free India'
Approximately 40 thousand kilogram narcotics were destroyed in the northeastern region under a special campaign against narcotics
Under Azadi ka amrit Mahotsav, a target to destroy 75 thousand kilogram narcotics was set but under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, over 1.5 lakh kilogram narcotics has been destroyed so far, which is more than double of the target set
The Government of India, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has adopted a policy of zero tolerance to thwart every attempt by 'Dirty Money' and 'Organized Mafia' to damage the country's economy and national security
Use of drugs is fatal for any society as the loss of a terrorist incident is limited, but the spread of drugs in the society ruins generations
Drugs work like termites to hollow the youth power of our society and country
Drug trafficking is a borderless crime and better coordination between all Drug Law Enforcement and Intelligence agencies and bordering districts of the northeastern states is essential to tackle it
We have to go beyond catching the 'faces' like drug abusers and distributors involved in any seizure and go behind them to nab the masterminds who send drugs from outside the border to India
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 endevour
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, a Zonal Office has also been started at New Jalpaiguri for better coverage of the areas adjoining Sikkim
Issue of drugs smuggling is not an issue of 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 NCORD meetings and efforts should be made to percolate these to the district level
Union Home Minister favoured use of drone, artificial intelligence and satellite mapping for identification and control of areasu cultivating opium
Cases of drugs should be investigated thoroughly from its source to destination to crackdown on its entire network
A total of 1257 cases were registered between 2006-2013 which increased by 152 percent to 3172 between 2014-2022, the total number of arrests during the same period increased by 260 percent 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.(KNS)