Centre to amend NDPS Act, plug loopholes used by narco syndicates: Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the Centre will amend the NDPS Act to close loopholes exploited by narco syndicates. He urged states to share suggestions, strengthen real-time information sharing, and ensure result-oriented NCORD meetings to intensify the nationwide anti-drug campaign

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said the Centre is going to amend the NDPS Act to plug all loopholes exploited by narco syndicates and underlined the need for a ruthless approach towards drug peddlers and suppliers.

Addressing the 10th apex-level meeting of the Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD) on Friday, Shah asked the states to submit their suggestions to the Centre regarding the proposed amendments being brought by the finance ministry to effectively plug the existing loopholes.

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The home minister also spoke about “success achieved” by agencies in tackling the drug menace in the country. “During 2004 to 2014, 26 lakh kilograms of synthetic drugs were seized. In contrast, from 2014 to 2026, we seized 1.18 crore kilograms of synthetic drugs. This shows that our campaign is steadily progressing towards success,” he said.

Shah said the value of the drugs seized between 2004 and 2014 was approximately Rs 40,000 crore, whereas the value of the drugs seized between 2014 and 2026 is approximately Rs 1.84 lakh crore. This reflects the remarkable increase in the effectiveness and scope of the government’s actions, he said.

The home minister said the government will amend the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act to plug all loopholes exploited by narco syndicates.

He called on the states to share their suggestions on the proposed amendments by the finance ministry with the Centre. He also asked the state governments to ensure real-time information sharing under all circumstances.

“For this, the Narcotics Control Bureau has developed several portals. I urge all chief secretaries and police chiefs to upload crime details for their respective states to these portals in a time-bound manner. This will enable the government of India to review these cases and provide you with necessary feedback and suggestions,” Shah said.

He urged all chief secretaries and police chiefs to move towards making NCORD meetings result-oriented. “The number of meetings is certainly increasing, but it is also essential that they are result-oriented.

“Is effective implementation taking place on the decisions taken in the meetings? Are those decisions reviewed in the next meeting? Is there a rigorous and serious analysis of them? Efforts made at the state level in the direction of making meetings result-oriented can alone lead us to success,” Shah said.