Chandigarh, March 29 (IANS) Senior officials of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) from Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh met here to monitor key cases, discuss strengthening of financial investigations and inter-agency coordination, an official said on Sunday.

The meeting was a part of the NCB’s quarterly exercise of regional meetings to promote data-driven enforcement and promote multi-agency investigation, said the official in a statement.

In a message on X, the NCB said, “The meeting reviewed ongoing critical investigations, emphasised strengthening inter-agency coordination, shared best legal practices and discussed enhanced cooperation, including support for Blue and Red Corner Notices against narco offenders.”

The NCB said, “Quarterly State-Level Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) meeting for Punjab, Haryana and UT Chandigarh was convened by NCB in Chandigarh with Drug Law Enforcement Agencies (DLEAs) to strengthen coordination of anti-narcotics intelligence and enforcement.”

“Chaired by DDG, NCB (NW Region), the meeting was held in hybrid mode with participation from Anti Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) and Drug Controllers of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh, along with representatives from ED and other agencies,” said an official on social media.

On Saturday, similar regional meetings were held in Guwahati and Kolkata.

An official statement said, “Quarterly State-Level JCC meeting for the State of Assam was convened by NCB at Police HQ, Guwahati to strengthen coordination in narco intelligence and enforcement.”

“Chaired by DDG, NCB (NE Region), the meeting saw participation from officers of NIA, ED, Customs, DRI, Income Tax, BSF, CRPF, SSB and Drug Controller along with ANTF Assam, SIB and SPs of sensitive districts of the state,” it said.

The meeting focused on referral of terror and hawala-linked drug cases to NIA/ED, strengthening financial investigations, initiating PIT NDPS action against habitual offenders, leveraging NIDAAN/NATGRID for data-driven enforcement and promoting multi-agency investigation of complex NDPS cases, said the NCB statement.

“A detailed overview of the drug scenario in Assam was presented, including recovery of contraband over the NF Railway network. Emphasis was laid on developing and sharing a comprehensive database of drug cartels and traffickers with all DLEAs,” it said.

The meeting in Kolkata, chaired by NCB DDG (Eastern Region), also witnessed active participation from Drug Law Enforcement Agencies, including NIA, Customs, DRI, Income Tax, ANTF, SIB and State Excise Department.

The meeting’s focus areas included enhancing inter-agency coordination and real-time intelligence sharing in the run-up to West Bengal Assembly polls, disrupting drug syndicates and their financial networks, invoking PIT NDPS, and effective use of NIDAAN and NATGRID for top-to-bottom and bottom-to-top investigation. Emphasis was also laid on joint interrogations along with wider outreach of MANAS helpline-1933, said the statement.

–IANS

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