NEW DELHI: Amid the government’s ‘zero tolerance’ policy against narcotics, the official data released by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has revealed there has been a significant 25 percent decline in drug smuggling related arrests between 2022 and 2024, but the number of convictions have gone up. As per the data the overall arrests made in 2022 were 768, but the trend in the successive years showed a decline of 25.2 percent, as in 2023 the number of arrests was 574 and in 2024 it was 588. In the current year, till January, 43 arrests have been made so far, it said.Even though the number of arrests has shown a declining trend, the conviction rate in drug-related cases has gone up, as in 2022, 54 accused were convicted, which almost doubled to 104 in 2023 and increased further to 110 in 2024.With Union Home Minister giving a target of ‘zero tolerance’ against drug menace, the government agencies have been stepping up its efforts with the goal of declaring the nation drug-free by 2047.Officials said the steps taken include setting up a four-tier Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD), sending anti-narcotics task forces to all states, and strengthening international collaboration in order to check drug trafficking. Additionally, even border guarding forces have been empowered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, they added.Recently in a reply to a question in parliament Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said, “The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) coordinates with other agencies such as the Navy, Coast Guard, border guarding forces and State ANTF to undertake joint operations to regulate drug trafficking. Electronic scanning of consignments for detection of drugs at all ports is being ensured.”“In furtherance of building the capacity of Drug Law Enforcement Agencies within the country, the NCB relentlessly provides training to officials of other Drug Law Enforcement Agencies. Under the Multi-Agency Centre (MAC) framework, a task force on Darknet and Cryptocurrency has been established with a view to monitoring sites enabling narco-trafficking, information sharing between agencies, intercepting drug chains, catching trends and modus operandi, refining databases, and revising corresponding rules and legislation,” he added.
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