Page 2 - Narcotics

India's highest-ever drug bust: 3,300 kg narcotics seized off Gujarat coast

Indian agencies Wednesday made their highest-ever narcotics bust from the sea as they seized 3,300 kg drugs, which sailed from an Iranian port, off the Gujarat coast and arrested five foreigners from a dhow. The cache could be worth anything between Rs 1,300-Rs 2,000 crore in the international market, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Director General S N Pradhan said. Home Minister Amit Shah called the joint operation by the Navy, NCB and the Gujarat Police a "historic success" and a testament of his government's "unwavering commitment to making our nation drug-free". The unregistered fishing boat was intercepted on Tuesday morning at the Arabian Sea from a point about 60 nautical miles from the Indian coast and along the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL). The Navy deployed its P8I long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft and marine commandos onboard a warship apart from helicopters. About 3,300 kg of contraband that includes 3,110 kg charas or Hashish, 158.3 kg of cryst

Biggest offshore seizure of drugs done by NCB, Navy, Gujarat Police: Shah

The Narcotics Control Bureau, the Navy and the Gujarat Police have seized a gigantic consignment of 3,132 kg of drugs in a joint operation, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Wednesday. Shah said the historic success is a testament to the Modi government's unwavering commitment to making the nation drug-free. In a post on X, the home minister said pursuing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a drug-free Bharat, the agencies have achieved the grand success of making the biggest offshore seizure of drugs in the nation. "In a joint operation carried out by the NCB, the Navy, and the Gujarat Police, a gigantic consignment of 3132 kg of drugs was seized. The historic success is a testament to our govt's unwavering commitment to making our nation drug-free. On this occasion, I congratulate the NCB, the Navy, and the Gujarat Police," Shah said.

Gogoi urges PM to take action to combat narcotics smuggling from Myanmar

Congress deputy leader in the Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi, has called upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take "decisive action" to address the widespread smuggling of narcotics from Myanmar into India. Gogoi emphasised that this illicit activity not only poses a threat to national security but also presents severe health risks to citizens. Recent media coverage has shed light on the alarming frequency of truck entries at Merapani border in Assam, indicating that smuggled Myanmar-origin areca nuts, colloquially known as Burmese supari, are making their way to our country through the porous India-Myanmar border in Mizoram and Manipur, the Assam MP said in a letter to the Prime Minister on Tuesday. Subsequently, these smuggled areca nuts find their way to Nagaland from where they are distributed to gutkha industries in Kanpur, Lucknow and West Bengal and these activities are conducted with blatant disregard for customs duties and regulations, he added. Other drugs such as heroin, opium,

Drone drops box containing 9 grenades, 1 pistol, IED in Jammu's Akhnoor

This is not the first instance where attempts have been made to smuggle arms or narcotics into the Indian territory from across the border

Intergovt coop essential to crack masterminds behind smuggling network: FM

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday stressed on the need for intergovernmental cooperation to crack the masterminds behind smuggling networks and take steps to deter illicit trade. Speaking at the Global Conference on Cooperation in Enforcement Matters organised by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Sitharaman said that customs authorities should share information among themselves to curb the network of illicit trade and efforts should be made to ensure that information shared is "actionable". Sitharaman also said that the nature of smuggled or illegally traded goods has not changed over the last 50-60 years and it continues to be precious metals, narcotics, precious reserves from forest or marine life. "So largely the goods which are illegally traded remain the same. There are no newer areas on which the customs authorities are baffled. If this is the way it is showing a trend over the decade, by now most of us should be fairly informed of who are the forces behind

Narco-finance, terror discussed at high-level meet chaired by Amit Shah

Internal security, terrorism, narco-finance and cyber security were some of the key subjects discussed at a high-level security conference chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah here on Thursday. The two-day conference, attended by top security officers, also discussed emerging national security challenges. On the first day of the conference, deliberations were held on various subjects of national security, including trends in terror, narco-financing in India, use of forensic science in investigation, social challenges, emergency preparedness for nuclear and radiological exigencies and cyber security framework, officials said. Inaugurating the conference, Shah said the central government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is committed to ensuring a safe and secure nation by strengthening all aspects of national security mechanism. The home minister reiterated the government's commitment to tackle the menace of drug trafficking, besides other issues related to

Poor man's cocaine: $3 narcotic pill sold in Gulf a worry for the world

Already popular in parts of the Middle East with everyone from teenagers to low-income construction workers, the narcotic is easy to make

Aim that no youth under influence of narcotics: Shah destroyed drugs

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said the fight against drugs is to ensure that no youth is under the influence of narcotics and the country is safe and free from illegal substances. Shah said this at a conference on "Drugs Smuggling and National Security" during which he watched through video conferencing destruction of more than 1.40 lakh kg drugs worth Rs 2,381 crore in various parts of the country. "Our aim is to ensure that no youth is under the influence of drugs.... Our aim is to make the country drugs free and secure. I appeal to all chief ministers and LGs (lieutenant governors) to extend all possible cooperation for it," he said. The home minister said that in the last one year 10 lakh kg drugs worth Rs 12,000 crore were destroyed and it is a very significant achievement. "Many congratulations to all the people involved in fulfilling such a big goal in the Azadi ki Amrit Mahotsav," he said. He said when the state and central governments along with all the agencies

Delhi Police destroys 16,000 kg seized narcotics on Int'l Drug Abuse Day

About 16,000 kilograms drugs and other psychotropic substances seized by the Delhi Police were destroyed in the northwestern part of the city on the International Day Against Drug Abuse Day on Monday, officials said. Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena inaugurated a programme at Biotic Waste Solutions Pvt Ltd in the RU Nagar Industrial area, GTK Road, where the drugs seized by the Crime Branch and Special Cell were destroyed, an official statement said. The programme was attended by Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora and other officers of city police, it added.

Govt to root out drugs, will not allow smuggling of narcotics: Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday asserted that the Narendra Modi government will root out the menace of drugs from India and will not allow the smuggling of narcotics through the country. In a video message on the International Day Against Drug Abuse, Shah said the home ministry has adopted a zero-tolerance policy against narcotics and the results of this approach have started coming in. Shah said, "We have decided that we will not allow any kind of narcotics trade in India nor will we allow any drugs to be smuggled through India." He further said, "I fully believe that with coordinated efforts, we will be successful in rooting out the menace of drugs and achieve our goal of a drugs-free India. We will not rest until this fight against drugs is won." The war against drugs has been continuing, Shah said, and because of this coordinated action, narcotics worth Rs 22,000 crore were seized between 2014 and 2022. This is 30 times higher than the drugs worth Rs 768 crore that was

Punjab govt mulls decriminalising drug use, addicts to be rehabilitated

The Punjab government is considering "decriminalising" drug use so that addicts caught with small amounts of narcotics are sent to de-addiction centres and not jails, a minister said here on Wednesday. Health and Family Welfare Minister Balbir Singh, however, clarified that this does not mean drugs will be legalised. Drug peddlers and smugglers will be dealt with an iron hand, he said. Singh was speaking at an 'Experts Meeting on Mental Health Issues and Interventions in Punjab' organised by his department here, an official statement said. Minister for Social Justice, Empowerment and Minorities, Social Security, Women and Child Development Baljit Kaur also attended the meeting. "Under this policy, drug addicts or people with substance use disorders caught with small amounts of drugs will be sent to de-addiction centres for treatment and rehabilitation instead of being put in jails," Singh said. "Decriminalisation doesn't mean that drugs will get legalised, they will continue to re

BJP setting up NCB in Amritsar for political gains: AAP leader Sanjay Singh

"The Modi government is working towards delivering the nation from drug addiction and uprooting the drug trade within Punjab," Singh added

Bombay HC extends Wankhede's interim protection from arrest till June 23

The Bombay High Court on Thursday extended till June 23 the interim protection from arrest granted to NCB's former Mumbai zonal director Sameer Wankhede in the CBI's case of extortion and bribery against him. The CBI's case is that Wankhede and four other accused had demanded Rs 25 crore bribe from actor Shah Rukh Khan for not framing his son Aryan Khan following alleged seizure of drugs from a cruise ship in October 2021. A division bench of Justices A S Gadkari and S G Dige said it would hear Wankhede's plea seeking to quash the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) FIR in the case on June 23. Wankhede's counsel Aabad Ponda told the HC that as per court's earlier direction, the Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer appeared before the CBI for interrogation seven times and has been cooperating. CBI's advocate Kuldeep Patil told the court that the investigation in the case was at a crucial stage. The bench said it would hear Wankhede's plea on June 23. "Interim relief granted st

Telangana launches State Anti-Narcotics, State Cyber Security Bureaus

The Telangana state government on Wednesday launched the Telangana State Anti-Narcotics Bureau and the Telangana State Cyber Security Bureau

Wankhede at CBI office for questioning in connection with Aryan Khan case

NCB Mumbai zonal director Sameer Wankhede on Sunday arrived at the CBI office in the city, for questioning in connection with a case related to the drugs-on-cruise case

BSF shot down Pakistani drone carrying narcotics near border in Punjab

The Border Security (BSF) has shot down a Pakistani drone carrying narcotics near International Border near Punjab's Amritsar, the force said on Sunday

As Singapore hangs man, these are the nations with the harshest drug laws

Singapore has executed a man accused of coordinating a cannabis delivery despite clemency petitions and protests. Here is a list of nations with the harshest drug laws

Have to build drug-free nation by 2047, says Shah in anti-narcotics meeting

Amit Shah launched a mobile app and web portal 'Map Drugs', which will help in identify and eradicate illegal farming in India

Unified portal of Central Bureau of Narcotics to bring efficiency: FinMin

A unified portal of the Central Bureau of Narcotics(CBN) will instil efficiency and transparency and reduce the time taken by the pharma industry to get trade licence, the finance ministry said on Tuesday. Revenue Secretary Sanjay Malhotra on Tuesday launched the unified portal of the CBN. CBN is a central government organization dealing with the international trade of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, and precursor chemicals under the ambit of various United Nations Conventions and the provisions of NDPS Act, 1985. The ministry in a statement said these substances bear dual potential as strong medicinal, scientific, and industrial use as well as a diversion for illicit use. Therefore, there is a need for striking a fine balance between the availability of these substances to the people and maintaining compliance with the law in this regard. These challenges envisioned the Bureau to conceptualize the use of a digital platform as an effective tool to synergize and sustain ...

Anti Narcotics Task Force seizes drugs worth Rs 16.68 cr in 6 months

ANTF DG said that during these operations, the team arrested 36 illegal drug dealers while recovering 13 vehicles, 1 illegal .32 bore pistol, and 9 live cartridges from the criminals