New Delhi:
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Saturday that dark web, cryptocurrency and drones remain a challenge for the country and strict steps will have to be taken regarding them. While chairing a regional conference on ‘Drug Trafficking and National Security’ here, Shah also said that the nation will not allow any drug smuggling into or out of the country.
He said that the government has not only succeeded in dismantling many drug networks but has also destroyed terrorism related to them. He said that many cases of narco-terrorism have been busted in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh and these are big achievements. He said, “Dark web, cryptocurrency, online marketplace, use of drones still remain a challenge for us.”
Shah said that for the security and development of the country, technical solutions to these problems should be found through joint efforts of the states and the central government and technicians. He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the fight against drugs has gained new strength.
- He said, “There has been a seven-fold increase in drug seizures in the last 10 years, which is a big achievement. Modi government has given a strong message to destroy the entire drug system through strict action.
- Home Minister Shah said that by seizing drugs worth Rs 16,914 crore in 2024, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and police took the biggest action against drugs across the country, which is an important step towards creating a drug-free society.
- He said, “No country can move forward on the path of development with a young generation suffering from drug addiction. It is our responsibility to fight this challenge together and make every possible effort to win this battle.
Shah said a total of 3.63 lakh kilograms of narcotics were seized during 2004-2014, while a total of 24 lakh kilograms of narcotics were seized during 2014-2024 – which is seven times more than the previous decade. He said drugs worth Rs 8,150 crore were destroyed in 2004-2014, while drugs worth Rs 54,851 crore were destroyed in 2014-2024 – which is eight times more than in the previous decade.
- The conference, organized by NCB, aims to address the growing concern of drug trafficking and its impact on national security, with a special focus on eight states and union territories of North India.
- Shah also launched the Drug Destruction Fortnight, which will run from Saturday to January 25. He said that one lakh kilograms of drugs worth Rs 8,600 crore will be destroyed during this period.
- Shah stressed the importance of making timely policies and continuous monitoring to deal with the coming challenges.
The Home Minister said that for the success of the Drug Free India campaign, law enforcement agencies, state governments and youth associated with this field will have to find technical solutions to these challenges, only then this fight will be result oriented.
The main thrust of the conference was to share real-time information from the National Narcotics Helpline ‘MANAS’ portal with the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) of the States and Union Territories, to evaluate the progress of the States in combating drug trafficking and narcotics. To assess the effectiveness of the National Coordination Mechanism (NCoRD).
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is implementing a three-pronged strategy to achieve a drug-free India by 2047. This includes strengthening the institutional framework, increasing coordination among narcotics agencies and launching a public awareness campaign.
Governors, Lieutenant Governors, Chief Ministers and senior officials of the participating states and union territories are participating in the conference. Senior officials of various central ministries, departments and law enforcement agencies also participated in the conference.
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