Zero-tolerance policy towards drugs giving results: Amit Shah

Union home minister Amit Shah on Saturday said the government’s ‘zero-tolerance’ policy to curb the menace of narcotics was showing results and pitched for enhanced Centre-state coordination to crackdown further.

Speaking after inaugurating a two-day national conference on drug trafficking and national security, Shah emphasised the importance of tracking the funding behind network that dealt in drugs.

Stating that the fight against drugs cannot be fought by the Centre alone, Shah said when the states’ speed to fight against this scourge is more than double of that of the Union government, the results come.

On big seizure drug cases, Shah told the states not to make it a Centre-state matter and said that they should hand over cases which are beyond their jurisdiction to either Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) or the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

“We want resolution of the problem and I want to assure that these two central agencies will investigate by taking the states into confidence,” he said.

“I urge you that we should come and fight together,” he said.

“We have identified 272 districts and more than 80,000 villages, we are clear where we have to fight this battle, every person, every agency should take up this fight strongly in their respective areas,” said Shah.

He said the talks are on with the Supreme Court for setting up fast-track courts and exclusive courts.

The drug problem is greater in Punjab as it is a border state, therefore more effort will have to be made, he added. The Union Government will also set up a forensic lab in Amritsar as well as open a scenter of the NCB which will provide training, Shah announced.

“The Government of India stands shoulder to shoulder with Punjab in the fight against drugs, to free the youth of Punjab from drugs and we are with Punjab in whatever the State requires,” he said.

“The Ministry of Home Affairs is working on a three tier formula for strengthening the institutional structure, empowerment and coordination of all narco agencies, comprehensive awareness campaigns and de-addiction,” Shah said.

To prevent misuse of dual-use drugs, a permanent inter-ministerial committee has been formed with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Ministry of Chemicals.

“There is a need to act quickly to curb drugs and the dark net, both dark web and cryptocurrency trading are intertwined, the Home Ministry recently constituted a task force on the dark web and cryptocurrencies, said Shah.

Stating that an agreement has been signed between NCB and National Forensic Science University, Shah, said, “Under which the National Forensic Science University and NCB will provide guidance in establishing a modern forensic lab in any State.”

The Chief Ministers of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab, The Administrator of Chandigarh, Officers from the BSF, NIA and NCB as well as ANTF chiefs of the respective States and NCORD members were also present at the conference.

The minister said that a 75-day drug eradication programme had started from June and so far, about 31,000 kg of drugs in four cities have been destroyed.

At the end of the 75-day campaign on August 15, the quantity will reach one lakh kg with an estimated black market value of around ₹3,000 crore, he added.