Amit Shah: Illegal drug trafficking is not just India’s problem, but a global threat

Indian Home Minister Amit Shah said on Sunday (25 August) that the illegal drug trade is not just an Indian problem but a global threat. He stressed that the country can win the fight against drugs if it acts decisively and strategically.

Addressing a meeting at a hotel in Nava Raipur, Chhattisgarh, on the drug-related situation in Chhattisgarh, Shah stressed that success requires the application of four formulas: “drug detection, destruction of the drug network, imprisonment of the offenders and rehabilitation of the addicts”.

Shah said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's resolve to make India drug-free by 2047, the centenary of India's independence, has now become the resolve of every citizen of the country.

He said that the solution of a drug-free India is of great importance for building a prosperous, safe and glorious India.

Shah stressed that the fight against drugs in India must be conducted with intensity, seriousness and a comprehensive strategy.

He added that the illegal drug trade in India poses a serious threat to national security.

The money from the illegal drug trade promotes terrorism and left-wing extremism and weakens the country's economy, Shah said.

He said drugs were not only ruining the country's young generation but also weakening the country's national security.

Shah said that the trend in drug trafficking is changing today and there is a shift from natural to synthetic drugs.

He also expressed concern over the use of narcotics in Chhattisgarh. He said the percentage of use of sedatives in Chhattisgarh is 1.45, which is higher than the national average.

Shah stressed that scientific methods must be used in investigating drug trafficking cases.

The Interior Minister stressed that a “top-down and bottom-up” approach must be pursued and that the entire network must be ruthlessly dismantled.

He said the goal of a drug-free India cannot be achieved unless the entire network is attacked.

Shad said the country can only succeed in this fight if it follows the four principles of drug detection, destruction of the drug network, arrest of offenders and rehabilitation of addicts.

He added that India can only achieve complete success in the war on drugs if it adopts a whole-of-government approach to the fight against drugs.

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