Lok Sabha Question No. 2100 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-14
Subject: Drug Seized by Central Agencies
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: Vijayakumar (alias) Vijay Vasanth

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2100

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 14 TH  MARCH, 2023/ PHALGUNA 23, 1944 (SAKA)

DRUG SEIZED BY CENTRAL AGENCIES

2100.      SHRI VIJAYAKUMAR (ALIAS) VIJAY VASANTH:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  the  Government  has  noticed  that  the  central  agencies  have seized  large  quantity  of  drug  (Heroin)  in  the  various  places  across  the country;

(b) if so, the details thereof including the total quantum and value of drugs in international market;

(c)  whether  the  Government has conducted any detailed inquiry into the matter;

(d) if so, the details thereof including the details of the sender and receiver of the drugs;

(e) whether the privatization of ports and airports has caused increase in large scale smuggling of drugs; and

(f) if so, the details thereof along with the steps taken by the Government in this regard?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI NITYANAND RAI)

(a) & (b): The data of Drugs (Heroin) seized by various central Drug Law

Enforcement Agencies  in last three years as reported to Narcotics Control

Bureau (NCB) is given below:

|                       |   2020 |   2021 |   2022 |
|-----------------------|--------|--------|--------|
| Heroin Seized (in KG) |    546 |   4671 |   1791 |

The  data  regarding  value  of  seized  drugs  in  international  market  is  not maintained by the NCB.

(c) & (d): The seizures mentioned above are under investigation with the concerned agencies.

(e) & (f): There  is  no  survey/study  to  indicate  that  the  privatization  of ports and airports has caused increase in large scale smuggling of drugs. However, government has taken various steps to curb trafficking of drugs through airports and seaports. Some of which are as under :-

- (i) The Government has introduced the NCORD mechanism in 2016 to have  effective  coordination  of  actions  among  various  Ministries, Departments, Central and States law enforcement agencies dealing with narcotics. The mechanism was restructured in 2019 into a 4 tier structure as detailed under:-
-  Apex Level Committee (headed by Union Home Secretary)
-  Executive Level Committee (headed by Special Secretary (IS), MHA).
-  State  Level  Committee  (headed  by  Chief  Secretary  of  the concerned State).
-  District Level Committee (Headed by District Magistrate)

In  the  year  2022,  the  NCORD  mechanism  has  been  further strengthened by addition of new members at different levels to make it more effective and comprehensive.

Representatives  of  Ministry  of  Port  Shipping  &  Waterways, Indian  Navy,  Indian  Coast  Guard,  Central  Board  of  Indirect Taxes & Customs, Coastal Police, Port Trust of Coastal States, Postmaster General, India Post and State Maritime  Board and Port Authorities in Coastal Districts are part of this mechanism at different level.

- (ii) A Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) was constituted consisting of Central and State Agencies to monitor investigations in case of large seizure of drugs.
- (iii) As  drug  trafficking  is  a  trans-national  problem,  India  has  signed Bilateral Agreements with 27 countries, Memorandum of Understandings  with  15  countries  and  Agreements  on  Security Cooperation  with  02  countries  for  combating  illicit  trafficking  of Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substance and Chemical
- Precursors as well as related offences.

- (iv) Government through NCB co-ordinates with various international organizations  such  as    SAARC  Drug  Offences  Monitoring  Desk (SDOMD),  Brazil, Russia, India, China and  South  Africa    (BRICS), Colombo Plan, Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), ASEAN  Senior  Officials  on  Drug  Matters  (ASOD),  Bay  of  Bengal Initiative For Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Co-Operation (BIMSTEC), Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and INTERPOL etc. for sharing of intelligence and information, participation in the workshops, capacity building, etc.
- (v) NCB is organizing sensitization programme with the Domestic and International  courier  companies  with  specific  emphasis  on  the following aspects:
- (a) Identification  of  red  flag  indicators  of  International/National parcels.
- (b) Gaps in the functioning of courier agencies.

(c) Emphasis on KYC.

- (d) Provision of CCTV at booking counters.
- (e) Mandatory X- Ray screening.
- (f) Conducting training for courier parcel officers.

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