NEW DELHI: India will destroy over 1.4 lakh kilograms of drugs worth over Rs 2,000 crore, seized by various enforcement and anti-drug agencies, on Monday. The drive is part of the country’s zero-tolerance policy towards narcotic substances and the government’s resolve to not only curb drug smuggling but also disallow the use of Indian territory for international drug trafficking.
According to sources in the Ministry of Home Affairs, the seized contraband will be destroyed during the regional conference on ‘Drugs Smuggling and National Security’ in New Delhi on Monday. The conference will be chaired by Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah.
During the conference, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), in coordination with Anti-Narcotics Task Forces (ANTF) of all states, will destroy 1,44,000 kg of drugs worth `2,416 crore in various parts of the country, said an MHA official.
The drugs to be destroyed will include 6,590 kg seized by NCB’s Hyderabad unit, 822 kg by Indore unit and 356 kg by the Jammu unit. Along with this, various law enforcement agencies of different states will destroy a total of 1,44,122 kg of drugs, including 1,486 kg of drugs in Assam, 229 kg in Chandigarh, 25 kg in Goa, 4,277 kg in Gujarat, 2,458 kg in Haryana, 4,069 kg in Jammu and Kashmir, 1,03,884 kg in Madhya Pradesh, 159 kg in Maharashtra, 1,803 kg in Tripura and 4,049 kg in Uttar Pradesh.
The Central government has adopted a ‘zero tolerance’ policy against narcotics to create a drugs-free India. Over the last year, between June 1, 2022, and July 15, 2023, all regional units of NCB and ANTFs of states have collectively destroyed around 8,76,554 kg of drugs worth around Rs 9,580 crore, which is more than 11 times the target.
With the destruction of drugs on Monday, the total quantity of drugs destroyed in one year will reach around 10 lakh kg, which has a value of around Rs 12,000 crore.
