Union Home Minister Amit Shah praised the law enforcement agencies on Saturday for their continuous campaign against drug trafficking.
HM Shah revealed that more than Rs 16,000 crore worth of drugs were seized by the Narcotics Control Bureau and all the states police combined in the year 2024.
“It is a matter of joy that in the year 2024, breaking all records of the value of seized drugs, the police and NCB have succeeded in seizing drugs worth Rs 16,914 crores. This is the biggest figure after independence,” Amit Shah said.
Union Home Minister’s remarks were made during regional conference on ‘Drug Trafficking and National Security,’ attended by representatives of different states in North India.
During his speech at the conference, Shah highlighted that along with curbing drug trafficking, it has simultaneously exposed the operations of various ‘terror networks’ in multiple states.
“Not only drugs, the terror networks which is connected to the drugs have been exposed in various states by the police force of various states in Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh. This is a big achievement for us,” Shah said while addressing the attendees.
Talking about the fight against drugs, Shah mentioned how for the last two years it has been specific focus of the conference.
“For the last 2 years, it has been our routine that in the regional conference, we review our fight against drugs, discussions also take place and later the Home Ministry makes a new strategy on this basis and shares it with the states,” he added.
He further shared the figures from the previous years, comparing the amount of drugs seized between 2004-2014 to 2014-2024, highlighting that there has been a 7 fold increase within the decade.
Giving the figures, he added, “From 2004 to 2014, about 3 lakh 63 thousand kg of drugs were seized.
There is no count of the number of tablets, there has been such an increase, but against these 3 lakh 63 thousand kg, we have seized 24 lakh kg within 10 years. This is a 7-fold increase. This is a very big achievement and our efforts are getting a good response from the public, the courts and
the entire ecosystem.”
Shah also revealed that the law enforcement agencies have disposed off Rs 56,851 crore worth of drugs in 2014-2024, showing an eight fold increase from the previous decade.
“If we talk about the value, the value of the disposed drugs was Rs 8,150 crores in 2004-14 and now it has become Rs 56,851 crores in 2014-24, that is 8 times,” Shah mentioned.
The regional conference was attended by the Governors, Lieutenant Governors, Chief Ministers and senior officers from eight participating states and UTs. Additionally, senior officers from various ministries, departments and law enforcement agencies will also attend the conference.
According to an official statement by the ministry, Shah also launched the Drug Disposal Fortnight effective from January 11 to January 25. During this, a total of 44,792 kilograms of seized narcotics, whose international market value is Rs 2411 crore, will be disposed of.
Additionally, the Home Minister also inaugurated the new office complex of the NCB’s Bhopal zonal unit, and announced the extension of the MANAS-2 helpline to all 28 states and 8 union territories.
The statement added, “The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is implementing a three-pronged strategy to achieve a drug-free India by 2047. This includes strengthening institutional frameworks, enhancing coordination among narcotics agencies, and launching a massive public awareness campaign.” (ANI)
