India urged Interpol to create real-time information system on narco-terrorism nexus: Amit Shah in Lok Sabha

New Delhi [India], December 21 (ANI): Highlighting the country’s fight against narco-terrorism and drug trafficking, Union Home Minister Amit Shah told the Lok Sabha on Wednesday that India has urged Interpol to create a real-time information system on the nexus of narcotics and terrorism.

Shah on Wednesday was replying to the debate under rule 193 on the “Problem of drug abuse in the country and steps taken by the government” in Lok Sabha. He said, “India has urged Interpol to create a system of real-time information on the nexus of narcotics and terrorism. This will increase coordination between different countries.”

The Union Home Minister said that the security of borders is the responsibility of the central government and those politicizing this issue are promoting the drug menace.

“We have empowered Border Security Force (BSF), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and Assam Rifles to prosecute cases under NDPS. Borders are the responsibility of the Central government, but when we give rights to BSF, it is said that the rights of States are being taken away. Now how will BSF work there? BSF seizes drugs but does not have the right to file the case. Those politicizing this issue are promoting drug trafficking,” Shah said.

“Agencies cannot work without rights, they have to be given rights. We should show faith in our agencies,” he said.

He said that the drug menace is a serious problem which is destroying generations and the profits being made from drugs are utilised for terrorism as well. The Minister said that Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) can conduct probes across the country.
“NCB is ready to help each and every state if there’s a need to do an inter-state probe. Even the National Investigation Agency (NIA) can help the states if the probe needs to be conducted outside the country,” he added.

Shah also reiterated the Centre’s zero-tolerance policy against drug abuse. “Our government policy is very clear: those consuming drugs are victims. We should be sensitive towards them and give victims a conducive atmosphere for their rehabilitation. But those involved in drug trafficking should not be spared,” he said.

Between 2006-2013, the Union Home Minister said 22.40 lakh kg of drugs were seized, while between 2014-2022, 62.60 lakh kg of drugs were seized. In terms of value, Rs 23,000 crore of drugs were seized before 2014, while now drugs worth Rs 97,000 crore were seized and burnt, he said.

Shah urged the States and Union Territories to work in synergy against the drug menace. “All the states and UTs have to together fight against the drug menace. We need to stop the entry of drugs through borders, ports and airports. The revenue department, NCB and anti-narcotics agencies have to work against the menace of being on the same page,” he said.

He asserted that the central government has a zero-tolerance policy towards the issue of drugs. “Those countries promoting terrorism in our country are using the profits from drugs for the same. The presence of this dirty money also gradually makes our economy hollow,” the Minister added.

Shah said the agencies have identified the routes of supply of drugs in 472 districts and a large amount of seizures have been made from these areas.
“The States where the maximum amount of drugs are seized does not mean that there are more drugs. It means these States are doing more work,” the Union Home Minister said.

“Drugs are coming from gulf countries and people involved in it have been arrested while factories have been sealed. On the basis of this, raids were conducted in 12 states and people were arrested there too,” Shah said.

He said the Centre made five different modules of narcotics training and these training programmes are made available at the district level. In addition, the central government is setting up six regional labs for narcotics sample testing, to ensure there is no delay in investigation and no one gets bail.

“We have mapped the drug network across the states. No matter how big the criminal is, in the next two years there’ll be a situation that they’ll be behind bars,” he said.