Hyderabad, May 7 (IANS) Telangana’s new Director General of Police C. V. Anand on Thursday urged the entire police force to collaborate to eradicate drugs with the same spirit with which it made the state Maoist-free.

He also called upon people to become partners in the process of curbing drugs for the future of their children.

The Director General of Police reviewed the performance of EAGLE Force, a special division established to curb the menace of drugs.

Anand said that after taking charge as the Director General of Police, despite having many police wings to review, he chose to first review the Elite Action Group for the Drug Law Enforcement Force.

He drew a parallel to how the Special Intelligence Bureau and Greyhounds worked as specialised agencies to make the state Maoist-free, stating that the entire police force must collaborate in the same spirit to eradicate drugs.

Just as the Special Intelligence Bureau and Greyhounds assisted in anti-Naxal operations, EAGLE Force will provide intelligence and investigative support to all districts.

The Director General of Police emphasised that a drug-free state can only be built if district Superintendents of Police and Commissioners of Police work in tandem with EAGLE Force. State-level investigations will be expanded to the districts.

Anand noted that the supply and consumption of narcotics are continuing unabated, not only in Telangana but across various parts of the world.

He directed officials to move forward with a focus on using advanced technology, tracing financial roots (money trails), and crushing foreign syndicates.

Officials briefed the Director General of Police on the coordination between four Narcotic Police Stations in Hyderabad, Cyberabad, Rachakonda, and Warangal Commissionerates, along with seven regional cells and 20 enforcement wings.

It was reported that drug case registrations have increased from 1,464 cases in 2023 to 2,734 cases in 2025. The number of arrests has also gone up from 3,157 in 2023 to 5,703 arrests in 2025.

While the national average is 1.3 arrests per case, Telangana maintains an average of 3.1 arrests per case, indicating that the force is capturing not just suppliers but also the masterminds behind the scenes.

The Director General of Police stated that EAGLE Force is coming down hard on illegal assets earned through the drug trade.

Officials used photos and videos to demonstrate how EAGLE Force busted Nigerian drug cartels and hawala networks operating out of Goa and Delhi.

Smuggling via courier services like DHL and FedEx has been identified using technology.

Investigations revealed that gangs were laundering drug money to foreign countries disguised as payments for garments and groceries.

Approximately 93 foreign nationals (from Nigeria, Ghana, Sudan, etc.) have been deported.

The Director General of Police ordered continuous surveillance on social media, the dark web, and cryptocurrency transactions.

He emphasised using digital forensics and geo-location tracking to apprehend suspects.

He expressed satisfaction over the conviction rate increasing from 19 per cent to 28 per cent.

He called for increased awareness programmes in schools and colleges.

He stated that while nearly 4,500 Anti-Drug Committees have been formed, they are not fully achieving their objectives.

A new proposal is being prepared to form comprehensive committees in schools and colleges to cover not just drugs, but also ragging, cybercrime, women’s safety, child molestation, road safety, and traffic rules.

The primary responsibility of these committees will be to immediately report any incident to the authorities.

The Director General of Police warned that if EAGLE Force or other teams detect drugs or illegal activities that the institution failed to report, action will be taken against the institution as well.

Many hide such issues fearing a “bad reputation,” but the Director General of Police stressed it is their fundamental responsibility.

A mandatory “I will not take drugs” declaration form is being proposed for students during admission.

–IANS

ms/dan