Anti-narcotics officials favour mapping of drugs cultivation areas, smuggling routes

New Delhi, Sep 18 (PTI) Top officials fighting the drugs menace have stressed the need for states and Union territories to undertake detailed survey of areas engaged in illicit narcotics cultivation and their smuggling routes, including urban ghettos, to enable targeted interventions.

At the 2nd national conference of the heads of the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) of states and Union territories, the officials emphasised on checking street-level narcotics incidents having links with transnational syndicates, with special attention on coastal and maritime trafficking routes.

"During the deliberations, along with whole of government approach, emphasis was laid on the need for states and UTs to undertake detailed hotspot mapping ranging from areas of illicit cultivation to urban ghettos to enable targeted interventions," said a statement issued by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) after the conclusion of the two-day conference on Thursday.

The conference also delved into the important aspect of demand and harm reductions with panellists from various area of work in this field.

The second day of the conference focused on strengthening international and inter-agency coordination in narcotics cases, with detailed deliberations on cooperation with INTERPOL and foreign agencies, deportation of fugitives, and the legal and operational frameworks for handling narcotics offenders.

A dedicated session was also organised on the PITNDPS Act, with particular emphasis on mapping narcotics financial networks and the growing importance of financial intelligence (FI) in NDPS investigations, the statement said.

The conference also explored the effective use of digital databases and forensic in drug-related investigations and the issue of diversion of pharmaceutical drugs especially prescription drugs for non-medical use.  At the event, best practices adopted by various states in combating the drug menace, showcasing innovative and multi-pronged approaches that integrate technology, inter-agency coordination, and community engagement were also highlighted.   In his valedictory address, NCB DG Anurag Garg underlined the need to move from individual seizures and emphasised the need to investigate the backward and forward linkages to break the backbone of drug trafficking cartels.

He also urged about the use of financial investigations, mobile forensics, NIDAAN portal as well as effectively applying the PITNDPS Act provisions.

Garg further highlighted the involvement of all stakeholders to come together and share intelligence and investigation inputs especially about narco-offenders in foreign countries by using available platforms of multi-agency co-ordination meetings.

He said every ANTF should identify ten cases under investigation and monitor them to ensure 360° investigation.

At the same time, he emphasised the need for state agencies to refer appropriate cases to central agencies like the NCB for probing complex interstate linkages and foreign linkages, NIA for probing narco terrorism and ED for probing money laundering.

Garg said every ANTF must have a dedicated cell of experts to deal with the challenges arising out of use of darknet market and cryptocurrency in drug trafficking.

Quoting Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Garg called upon adopting a sensitive approach to deal with the issue related to the drug menace in the country, saying the ANTFs and all other stakeholders should take it as a mission to save our youth from the scourge which may otherwise disturb the society.

He also urged for a collective and strategic unified action across Centre and states to realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a drug-free India by 2047. PTI NES ACB ZMN