Rs 1.71 Lakh Cr drugs seized since 2014, Amit Shah seeks 3-yr anti-drug plan

Guwahati, Jan 11: Drugs worth Rs 1.71 lakh crore has been seized during the period from 2014 to 2025 and Union Home Minister Amit Shah has directed all the concerned departments to prepare a three-year roadmap to completely eradicate the menace of drugs in the country.

Sources in the Ministry of Home Affairs told The Assam Tribune that Shah chaired the 9th Apex-Level Meeting of the Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD) at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi yesterday and said that in the fight against drugs, all departments of the Government of India should prepare a roadmap up to 2029 and establish a time-bound review mechanism for its implementation.

He said this challenge is linked more to the issue of narco-terror than to law and order, and most importantly, it is a conspiracy to ruin the coming generations of the country. He said that the health of the youth, their ability to think and perform, and the growing discontent in society are all linked to this problem.

The Home Minister said March 31 "we will all together launch a three-year collective campaign against this problem, in which the working methodology of all pillars against drug abuse will be defined, targets will be set, and time-bound reviews will be conducted."

Shah said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the past 11 years, the country has achieved considerable success in the fight against drugs, and after the reorganization of NCORD in 2019, the country has paved the path to gain complete control over this problem.

Now the Government has gained speed and will move forward with a three-pronged plan of action. He said that only by adopting a collective ruthless approach towards the drug supply chain, a strategic approach towards demand reduction, and a humane approach towards harm reduction, "we will be able to achieve the goal of a drug-free India."

The Union Home Minister said that there has been an increase in the number of NCORD meetings, but there is a need to increase it further. He said that district-level and state-level meetings should be held regularly.

He said that the Government of India's approach is very clear that there should be no compassion towards those who manufacture or sell drugs. He said that we should move forward with a humanitarian perspective towards the victims of drugs.

Shah said that we must proceed in this fight only by strengthening command, compliance, and accountability. "Now, instead of the number of meetings, we should review their out-comes. Strict action taken against the kingpins of the drug trade, financiers, and logistics routes should be the subject of our review," he added.

Shah said that from 2004 to 2013, drugs worth Rs 40,000 crore, amounting to 26 lakh kilograms, were seized, whereas from 2014 to 2025, drugs worth Rs 1 lakh 71 thousand crore, amounting to 1 crore 11 lakh kilograms, have been seized.

He said that in 2020, opium crops on 10,770 acres of land were destroyed, and by November 2025, crops on 40,000 acres of land have been destroyed.