New Delhi, Sep 16 (IANS) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday inaugurated the second National Conference of the Heads of Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) of states and Union Territories here, unveiling a multi-pronged strategy to achieve Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a drug-free India.

On the occasion, Shah launched the Narcotics Control Bureau’s (NCB) Online Drug Disposal Campaign and destroyed 1.37 lakh kg of narcotics valued at Rs 4,800 crore at 11 locations across the country.

He also released the NCB’s Annual Report 2024. Addressing ANTF chiefs, Shah said the Modi government is adopting a three-pronged approach—”a ruthless approach to break supply chains, a strategic approach to reduce demand, and a humane approach to harm reduction”.

He stressed that the fight must expand beyond targeting small peddlers to dismantling cartels at entry points, interstate distribution, and local sale networks. Calling for state police and ANTFs to employ advanced tools like darknet analysis, cryptocurrency tracking, and machine learning models, Shah urged stakeholders to dedicate “12 days a year” exclusively to anti-narcotics operations.

He highlighted the Drug-Free India campaign, currently active in 372 districts with the participation of 10 crore people and three lakh institutions, but insisted it must be scaled nationwide. Shah warned that the menace of synthetic drugs and clandestine labs is likely to grow, pressing states to identify and destroy them swiftly.

“Mission Drugs Free Campus Campaign is also going on in universities and institutions across the country. Along with this, a campaign is also being run to increase training on the dark net, crypto and use of Manas helpline,” a Home Ministry statement said.

“He said that NIA has registered 18 cases under the PIT-NDPS Act (Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act) and started their 360-degree investigation. Similarly, the Narcotics Control Bureau has started a 360-degree investigation in more than 35 cases received from the states. He said that we have trained thousands of people in training programmes,” it added.

Stressing international cooperation, Shah said drug traffickers abroad would be punished through extradition and deportation arrangements, with coordination between the NCB, the CBI, and state police forces.

He also urged ANTF chiefs to ensure regular NCORD meetings in all districts, noting that 272 districts had not held even one. Highlighting achievements, Shah said drug seizures rose from 26 lakh kg (valued at Rs 40,000 crore) between 2004–13 to 1 crore kg (valued at Rs 1.65 lakh crore) between 2014–25, while arrests jumped from 1.73 lakh to 7.61 lakh.

–IANS

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