Centre intensifies war against drugs: 30 kg meth seized in Assam
NEW DELHI/GUWAHATI: Enforcement agencies have confiscated 30.4 kg of methamphetamine tablets valued at Rs 24.32 crore in Assam, in a Central government’s intensified crackdown on drug cartels. The raid resulted in the arrest of three people and is being celebrated as a landmark victory in the national campaign for a drug-free Bharat.
The seizure was the outcome of an inter-agency coordinated offensive by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Assam Police, and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). Based on intelligence inputs, the agencies had conducted a quick raid, intercepting the consignment and those behind its movement.
This move is part of a broader attempt by the Narendra Modi government, which has promised to stamp out drug trade from Indian land with “ruthless force.” In recent years, Central agencies have been given added powers to reinforce border patrols, intelligence networks, and inter-agency coordination in order to shut down the narcotic trade.
The NCB has carried out a series of high-profile seizures over the past few years. The agency recovered more than 3,000 kg of heroin at the Mundra Port of Gujarat in 2022, which is one of the biggest in Indian history. During another operation, more than 1,200 kg of drugs were recovered from a ship off Kerala’s coast, indicating deep-rooted international smuggling networks.
In 2023, NCB’s multi-agency task force, working under the “Operation Samudragupt” initiative, cracked a transnational syndicate and confiscated humongous amounts of synthetic drugs coming through maritime channels. Likewise, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and customs authorities have made a series of large seizures of cocaine and heroin at ports and airports.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has continuously emphasized the zero-tolerance attitude of the government towards drug trade. “The drug trade not only finances terrorism and organized crime but also destroys the future of our youth,” he stated in a recent press release. “We are determined to eradicate it from every nook and corner of the country.” The government has collaborated with global agencies to monitor cross-border drug networks.
