Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said that the dark web, cryptocurrency, online marketplaces and drones remain a challenge for the country and they have to be stopped by joint efforts of law enforcement agencies.
Chairing a regional conference on ‘Drug Trafficking and National Security’ in Delhi, Shah also said that the country will not allow even a single kilogram of drugs to be smuggled into or out of the country. He said that the government has not only been successful in eliminating many drug networks, but terrorism related to them has also been eliminated.
He said that many cases of narco-terrorism were busted in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh and these are big achievements. He said, “Dark web, cryptocurrency, online marketplace, use of drones still remain a challenge for us.”
Shah said that for the security and development of the country, technical solutions to these problems will have to be found through joint efforts of the states and the central government and technocrats. He said that all agencies should strengthen the resolve for a drug-free India by stopping drug trafficking through dark web, cryptocurrency and drones.
He said that seven percent of people in India consume drugs illegally. He said that the fight against drugs has gained new strength under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Drug seizures have increased seven-fold in the last 10 years, which is a major achievement. The Modi government has given a strong message to destroy the entire drug ecosystem through strict action,” he said.
The Home Minister said that the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the police took the biggest action against drugs across the country by seizing drugs worth Rs 16,914 crore in 2024, which is an important step towards creating a drug-free society. He said, “No country can move forward on the path of development with a young generation suffering from drug addiction. It is our responsibility to fight this challenge together and make every possible effort to win this battle.”
Shah said a total of 3.63 kg of narcotics were seized during 2004-14, while a total of 24 lakh kg of narcotics were seized during 2014-24 – seven times more than the previous decade. He said narcotics worth Rs 8,150 crore were destroyed in 2004-14, while narcotics worth Rs 54,851 crore were destroyed in 2014-24 – eight times more than the previous decade.
The conference, organized by NCB, aims to address the growing concern of drug trafficking and its impact on national security, with a special focus on eight states and union territories of North India. Shah also launched the Drug Disposal Fortnight, which will run from Saturday to January 25. He said that one lakh kilograms of drugs worth Rs 8,600 crore would be destroyed during this period.
Shah stressed the importance of timely policy making, intensification, micro planning and continuous monitoring to deal with the upcoming challenges. He said the Modi government has worked swiftly to destroy drugs, expose the networks and bring the entire ecosystem under the grip of law. The Home Minister said that for the success of the Drug Free India campaign, law enforcement agencies, state governments and youth associated with this sector will have to find technical solutions to these challenges, only then this fight can be result oriented.
He urged all states to strictly dismantle illegal clandestine laboratories and take strict legal action against them. Shah said the Modi government is moving forward with a tough approach against the drug supply chain, a strategic approach to demand reduction and a humanitarian approach to the victims. He stressed the need to strategically and carefully increase the use of legal provisions for asset confiscation. The Home Minister stressed the importance of formulating a district-level strategy and setting up mechanisms to systematically scale up cases, which will increase the effectiveness of the campaign.
He also highlighted the efforts of the Central Government to develop anti-drone systems and urged the police forces of all border states to support this initiative by organizing hackathons and actively contribute to the progress in this sector. “Now is the time when we all can contribute to this fight and succeed in winning it,” he said. Governors, Lieutenant Governors, Chief Ministers and senior officials of eight participating states and union territories and the Center are participating in the conference.
