New Delhi, September 16: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday inaugurated the second National Conference of the Heads of Anti-Narcotics Task Forces (ANTF) of states and Union Territories, unveiling a multi-pronged strategy to fulfil Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a drug-free India.
Marking the occasion, Shah launched the NCB’s Online Drug Disposal Campaign and oversaw the destruction of 1.37 lakh kg of narcotics worth ₹4,800 crore at 11 locations nationwide. He also released the Narcotics Control Bureau’s Annual Report 2024.
Addressing ANTF chiefs, Shah outlined the government’s three-pronged approach: a ruthless crackdown on supply chains, a strategic effort to reduce demand, and a humane approach towards harm reduction. He emphasised that efforts must extend beyond targeting small peddlers to dismantling cartels at entry points, interstate distribution hubs, and local networks.
Urging state police and ANTFs to adopt darknet analysis, cryptocurrency tracking, and machine learning tools, Shah called on agencies to dedicate “12 days a year exclusively to anti-narcotics operations.”
Highlighting the Drug-Free India campaign, currently active in 372 districts with the participation of 10 crore people and three lakh institutions, he pressed for nationwide expansion. He also warned of the growing threat from synthetic drugs and clandestine labs, stressing the need for rapid identification and destruction.
The Home Ministry added that the Mission Drugs-Free Campus Campaign is ongoing across universities, alongside training on darknet and crypto tools and the use of the Manas helpline. The NIA has registered 18 cases under the PIT-NDPS Act, while the NCB is conducting 360-degree investigations in over 35 cases.
Shah also urged regular NCORD meetings in every district, noting that 272 districts had yet to conduct one. He highlighted that drug seizures rose from 26 lakh kg (₹40,000 crore) between 2004–13 to 1 crore kg (₹1.65 lakh crore) between 2014–25, while arrests surged from 1.73 lakh to 7.61 lakh.
