Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday inaugurated the second National Conference of Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) chiefs from states and Union Territories, outlining a strategy to make India drug-free.Shah launched the NCBās Online Drug Disposal Campaign and destroyed 1.37 lakh kg of narcotics worth Rs 4,800 crore at 11 locations across the country. He also released the Narcotics Control Bureauās Annual Report 2024.
Addressing the ANTF chiefs, Shah said the government follows a three-pronged approach: break supply chains, reduce demand, and focus on harm reduction. He stressed targeting major cartels, entry points, interstate distribution, and local networks, not just small peddlers.
Shah urged states to use modern tools like darknet analysis, cryptocurrency tracking, and AI to fight drugs. He suggested dedicating 12 days a year for anti-narcotics operations and scaling up the Drug-Free India campaign, now active in 372 districts with 10 crore participants.
Warning against synthetic drugs and illegal labs, he called for quick identification and destruction. He also highlighted training programs, the Mission Drugs Free Campus campaign in universities, and international cooperation to punish traffickers abroad.
Shah noted achievements in drug seizures and arrests: seizures rose from 26 lakh kg (2004ā13) to 1 crore kg (2014ā25), while arrests jumped from 1.73 lakh to 7.61 lakh. He also asked ANTF chiefs to hold regular NCORD meetings in all districts.