Drug money being used for terrorism, Naxalism, says Amit Shah | Raipur News

Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurates NCB regional office in Chhattisgarh

RAIPUR: Claiming that illegal trade Drugs pose a threat to the country, said the interior minister Amit Shah on Sunday he stated that the money earned from drugs is used to promote terrorism and Naxalism and weakening the country’s economy.
“Unless we destroy the entire network or chain, we will not be able to control the illegal drug trade. It is an international problem. In India, we need to create awareness and fight it. I would say that even some nations have lost the fight against the illegal drug trade. We need to use scientific methods in the investigation,” he said during the virtual inauguration of the regional office Narcotics Control Bureau in Raipur.
He said that drugs not only destroy the youth but also pose a threat to the security of the country. He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has resolved to make the country drug-free by 2047, when the country will celebrate ‘Azadi Ka Satabdi Samaroh’ and a concerted effort is needed to achieve this.
The Minister of Interior also stated that the trend drug trafficking is moving away from natural medicines towards synthetic drugs. Synthetic drugs are available in small quantities, but are expensive and more harmful than natural drugs. “We need to use scientific methods to investigate drug trafficking and get to the root of the cases,” Shah reiterated.
In the state of Chhattisgarh, the rate of sedative use is reported to be above the national average at 1.45%. Chhattisgarh borders seven states, making it difficult to combat drugs and drug trafficking, the Home Minister said. WB, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh have become transit routes for Smuggling marijuana– he said.
Chhattisgarh has reported ganja consumption of 4.98%, which is much higher than the national average of 2.83%, the home minister said, adding that this is a matter of concern for the state. “I will again urge that the investigation should be done scientifically. If a small bag of ganja or other such things is being sold in a shop, we should find out where it is coming from — where it is manufactured, transported, etc. We need a bottom-up approach in the investigation,” Shah said.
E-commerce platforms are being used to trade drugs and drones are being used to deliver them, he added.
Earlier, Shah discussed the drug scenario in a meeting with officials and gave them four key points. Shah stressed on detecting drugs, destroying networks, apprehending criminals and rehabilitating addicts to achieve success.
Those who use drugs are victims of the system, while those who peddle drugs are criminals. Shah urged officials to use legal powers to seize assets of drug peddlers without hesitation. He also advised seeking help from central agencies to conduct financial investigations and transfer some interstate and international cases to NCB.
Shah said regular meetings were essential, with clearly defined goals. These goals should not be a mere formality and achievements must be checked by officials to ensure effective implementation. He also suggested setting up a joint coordination committee to better utilise the system. The committee should examine financial transactions and sources of funds, build strong arguments and take action.
A countrywide strategy has been chalked out to prevent drug trafficking, he said. The meeting included officials from various departments of the state and central governments discussing the drug network, preventive measures, actions to be taken and creating awareness among youth and students.
The NCB office in Nava Raipur was inaugurated in the Central Secretariat building. The inauguration was attended by Chief Minister Vishnudeo Sai, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai and Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma.
During the event, it was mentioned that Chhattisgarh shares borders with six states: Odisha, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. This makes it a corridor for drug trafficking across the country. This agency will work with various states and the Centre.