Union Home Minister Amit Shah recently emphasised the need for a "ruthless" approach towards the drug supply chain in India. During the 7th Apex Level Meeting of the Narco-Coordination Center (NCORD) in New Delhi, Shah directed central and state agencies to ensure no drugs enter the country and to prevent India’s borders from being used for drug trafficking.
Chiefs of various central and state agencies, including police, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), National Investigation Agency (NIA), and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), were present at the meeting.
Shah stressed that the drug trade is linked to narco-terror, which poses a significant threat to national security and weakens the economy. He explained that drug cartels are involved in illegal activities such as hawala transactions and tax evasion, making it a multi-layered crime that requires a comprehensive approach.
Shah urged agencies to adopt both top-to-bottom and bottom-to-top strategies to dismantle the drug network, focusing on the source of the drugs rather than just the users.
Highlighting the problem of synthetic drugs, Shah mentioned that many illegal laboratories have been discovered and urged agencies to identify more such labs in their respective states.
He emphasised the importance of ensuring that no drugs enter or exit India, as the country is part of the global community and cannot fight this battle alone. Shah advocated for an integrated approach within the nation, with NCORD meetings serving as platforms for decision-making and progress reviews.
Shah suggested that each district set goals and review their achievements, including tracking the number of youths sent to rehabilitation centres and the number of cases involving drug trade and economic offences. He encouraged officials to make these meetings outcome-based and result-oriented, framing strategies according to local needs.
Shah called for a shift in the policy of sharing information among agencies from "need-to-know" to "duty to share," stressing the importance of trust in the system. He reiterated the need for a ruthless approach to dismantle the drug supply chain, a strategic approach to reducing demand, and a humane approach to reducing harm.
Over the past five years, the government has implemented structural, institutional, and informational reforms to combat the drug problem through a whole-of-government approach.
Shah noted that from 2004 to 2013, 1.52 lakh kilograms of drugs were seized, which increased to 5.43 lakh kilograms from 2014 to 2024. The value of seized drugs rose from Rs. 5,933 crore to over Rs. 22,000 crore during this period.
Shah commended the agencies for their success in the fight against drugs over the past five years but noted that their achievements represent only 10 percent of the work that needs to be done.
At the event, Shah launched the MANAS (Madak Padarth Nisedh Asuchna Kendra) portal, inaugurated the NCB Zonal Office in Srinagar, and released the NCB Annual Report 2023 and Compendium on Nasha Mukt Bharat. MANAS aims to enhance capacity building for narcotics control excellence.
Shah called for the formation of Joint Coordination Committees at the state level and strict reviews of financial investigations. He urged central agencies to file suo moto cases and encouraged states to allocate a significant portion of their budgets to narcotic forensics.
Shah mentioned that the Forensic Science University is developing an indigenous, affordable forensic narcotics testing kit to help agencies file drug cases. He also urged secretaries to enhance awareness and use of the MANAS portal.
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