Narcotics Money Being Used for Terrorism, Naxalism, Says Shah

 Raipur: Calling the illegal narcotics trade a global issue, Union home minister Amit Shah on Sunday said that the new strategy, based on four principles of ‘drug detection, network destruction, culprit detention and addict rehabilitation’, would effectively combat the drug menace in the country.

Inaugurating the zonal office of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) at Raipur virtually, Mr Shah said that the narcotics trafficking has become a global issue and several countries have already lost the battle against the drug menace.

“But, we can fight the menace successfully with determination and strategy. There is a need to adopt four principles of ‘drug detection, network destruction, culprit detention and addict rehabilitation’ to achieve success (in the battle against drug trafficking)”, he said.

Mr Shah said that “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pledged to make the country drug-free in 2047, the centenary year of the country’s independence. I believe the resolution of a drug-free India is very important in building a prosperous, safe and glorious India”.

Illegal narcotics trade is not a challenge to India merely, it is a global menace, he added.

Stating that illicit narcotics trade in the country severely impaired nation’s security, he said that the drug money is funding Naxalism and terrorism and also weakening the country's economy.

The Union minister indicated the Centre’s plan to establish branches of NCB in every state to end the drug menace with the cooperation of the state governments.

According to him, the trend of drug trafficking today is shifting from natural to synthetic.

The sleuths in the narcotics department must use scientific methods in the investigation of drug- trafficking cases, he said.

“We need to work with a ‘Top to Bottom and Bottom to Top’ approach and dismantle the entire network in a ruthless manner. Unless we attack the network, we will not be able to achieve the goal of a drug-free India”, he said.

The Union minister said that the fight against drug menace has intensified after the Modi government assumed office at Centre in 2014.

As many as 1250 cases of illegal narcotics trade were registered in 2004-2014 whereas in the last ten years, 4150 cases have been registered, an increase by 230 percent.

Similarly, between 2004 and 2014, there were a total of 1,360 arrests made in connection with illegal narcotics trafficking as against the 6300 arrests made in the last ten years.

In 2004-2014, 1, 52,000 kg of narcotic substances were seized whereas the drug haul increased to 5,43,000 kg in 2014-2024.

The cost of narcotic substances seized in 2004-2014 was Rs 5,900 crore while the value of drugs seized in 2014 to 2024 was Rs 22,000 crore.

“The fight against drug menace could be brought to conclusion in the last ten years because of an organised approach to the issue by the Modi government at the Centre. However, the battle has to be turned into a people’s movement to win the war against the menace”, he added.