Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday asked all the states/UTs and agencies to take legal action against illegal, clandestine labs with ruthless approach. “Narcotics worth Rs 16,914 crore were seized in 2024, the highest recorded since Independence… Dark web, cryptocurrency, online marketplace and drones continue to be a challenge for the country and these have to be checked by strict measures,” said Shah while chairing a regional conference on ‘Drug Trafficking and National Security’ here. He said a technical solution to these problems have to be found through joint efforts by the states and the Central government and technocrats for the country's security and development. Shah asserted that the country will not allow even a single kilogram of drugs to be smuggled in or out. “In the last 10 years, there has been a seven-fold increase in the seizure of drugs… The government has not only been successful in eliminating many networks of drugs but also destroyed the terrorism linked with them. Many cases of narco-terrorism were busted in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh and these were major achievements,” he said. The regional conference, organised by the NCB, aims to address the growing concern of drug trafficking and its impact on national security. The minister also launched the drug disposal fortnight — January 11 to 25 — and said that during this period, 1 lakh kg of narcotics worth Rs 8,600 crore will be destroyed. The Home Ministry is implementing a three-pronged strategy to achieve a drug-free India by 2047, said Shah. This includes strengthening institutional frameworks, enhancing coordination among narcotics agencies, and launching a public awareness campaign. In 2024, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and police across the country took the biggest action against drugs, seizing drugs worth Rs 16,914 crore, which is a significant step in making a drug-free society, he said. “No country can move forward on the path of development if the young generation is suffering from drug addiction. It is our responsibility that we all fight this challenge together and make all efforts to win this battle,” he said. Shah said during 2004-2014, a total of 3.63 kg of drugs were seized, while during 2014-2024, altogether 24 lakh kg of drugs were seized — a seven-fold increase as compared to the previous decade. He said drugs worth Rs 8,150 crore were destroyed in 2004-14 and worth Rs 54,851 crore in 2014-24, eight times more than the previous decade. The home minister also inaugurated the new office complex of the NCB's Bhopal zonal unit and extension of the MANAS-2 helpline to all 36 states and UTs.
