Lok Sabha Question No. 4120 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-25
Subject: Drive against Drug Smuggling
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: Shri Dhairyasheel Sambhajirao Mane, Shri Sudheer Gupta, Shri Chavan Ravindra Vasantrao

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4120

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 25 TH  MARCH, 2025/ CHAITRA 4, 1947 (SAKA)

DRIVE AGAINST DRUG SMUGGLING

4120. SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA: SHRI CHAVAN RAVINDRA VASANTRAO: SHRI DHAIRYASHEEL SAMBHAJIRAO MANE:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government is working to make India a drug free nation by 2047 as part of its drive against drug smuggling;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the steps taken in this regard;

(c)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  open  new  regional  and  zonal offices of NCB in different States and Union Territories across the country to  control  the  menace  of  drug  smuggling in  the  country  and  if  so,  the details thereof;

- (d) the total number of persons arrested and convicted by the Narcotics Control  Bureau  (NCB) involved  in  drug  smuggling  in  the  country  during each of the last three years and the current year; and
- (e)  the  details  of  other  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  to control drug smuggling in the country?

## ANSWER

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

(a), (b) & (e): As part of its drive against drug smuggling to make India a drug free nation, Government is taking various measures, some of which are mentioned below: -

## L.S.US.Q.NO. 4120 FOR 25.03.2025

- (i) A 4-tier Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD) mechanism for ensuring better  coordination  between  Central  &  State  Drug  Law  Enforcement Agencies and other stakeholders in the field of controlling drug trafficking and drug abuse in India has been established. An all in one NCORD portal has been developed for information related to drug law enforcement.
- (ii) A dedicated Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) headed by Additional Director General/ Inspector General level Police Officer has been established  in  each  State/  Union  Territory  to  function  as  the  NCORD Secretariat for the State/ Union Territory and follow-up on compliance of decisions taken in NCORD meetings at different levels.
- (iii) To monitor the investigation of important and significant seizures, a Joint  Coordination  Committee  (JCC)  under  the  Chairmanship  of  Director General, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has been set up by Government of India.
- (iv) Border  Guarding  Forces  (Border  Security  Force,  Assam  Rifles  and Sashastra  Seema  Bal)  have  been  empowered  under  the  Narcotic  Drugs and  Psychotropic  Substances  (NDPS)  Act,  1985  to  carry  out  search, seizure  and  arrest  for  illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs at international

## L.S.US.Q.NO. 4120 FOR 25.03.2025

border. Further, Railway Protection Force (RPF) has also been empowered under NDPS Act to check drug trafficking along the railway routes.

- (v) Narcotics  Control Bureau (NCB)  coordinates   with   other  agencies like,  Navy,  Coast  Guard,  Border  Security  Force,  State  ANTF,  etc.,  to conduct joint operations to control the drug trafficking.
- (vi) Electronics scanning of consignments for drug detection at all Ports are being ensured.
- (vii) Towards the capacity building of Drug Law Enforcement Agencies of the country, NCB is continuously imparting training to the officers of other Drug Law Enforcement Agencies.

(viii)  A task force on Darknet and Crypto-Currency has been set up under the Multi Agency Centre (MAC) mechanism with a focus on monitoring all platforms facilitating Narco-trafficking, sharing of inputs on drug trafficking amongst Agencies/MAC members, interception of drug networks, continuous capturing of trends, modus operandi & nodes with regular database updates and review of related rules & laws.

- (ix) To strengthen NCB and to increase its pan India presence, 536 posts in  different  level  has  been  created  in  NCB.  During  this  restructuring, special focus has been laid on cyber, legal, and enforcement aspects for more effective drug law enforcement.

(x) Nar-K9  Pool  has  been  established  in  Zonal  Offices  of  Narcotics Control Bureau at Jammu, Chandigarh, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Imphal, Mumbai and Guwahati.

- (xi) To  assist  all  DLEAs/other  investigation  agencies  for  investigation and proactive policing, National Integrated Database on Arrested NarcoOffenders (NIDAAN) portal  is  developed.  It  provides  data  of  narcotics offenders involved in narcotics offences under Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.

(xii) A  National  Narcotics  Helpline  'Madak -Padarth  Nished  Asoochna Kendra'  (MANAS)  has  been  created  a  24x7  toll -free  National  Narcotics Call Centre helpline No.1933. Accordingly, MANAS has been envisioned as an  integrated  system  providing  a  single  platform  for  citizens  to  log, register,  track  and  resolve  drug  related  issues/problems through various mode of communications like call, SMS, Chat-bot, e-mail & web-link.

## L.S.US.Q.NO. 4120 FOR 25.03.2025

(xiii)  Assistance  is  being  provided  by  Central  Govt.  to  the  states  for Upgradation of existing forensic science laboratories in the states under different schemes.

(xiv)  A high-level dedicated group has been created in National Security Council  Secretariat  (NSCS)  in  November  2022  to  analyze  the  drug trafficking  through  maritime  routes,  challenges  and  solutions  (Maritime Security Group -NSCS).

(xv) Director General Level Talks by NCB are organized with neighboring and  other  countries  such  as  Myanmar,  Iran,  Bangladesh,  Indonesia, Singapore, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, etc. to resolve various issues on drugs trafficking  having   international  implications   and   issue   of maritime trafficking.

(c): Regional  Offices  of  Narcotics  Control  Bureau  (NCB)  have  been increased  from  03  to  07  by  addition  of  04  new  Regional  Offices  at Amritsar, Guwahati, Chennai and Ahmedabad. Zonal Offices of NCB have also been increased from 13 to 30, across the Country by addition of 05   new Zonal    Offices   at   Gorakhpur   (Uttar Pradesh),   Siliguri   (West

## L.S.US.Q.NO. 4120 FOR 25.03.2025

Bengal),  Agartala  (Tripura),  Itanagar  (Arunachal  Pradesh)  and  Raipur (Chhattisgarh) and by upgradation of 12 Sub-zones as Zones.

(d): The  total  number  of  persons  arrested  by  the  Narcotics  Control Bureau (NCB) during year 2022 to 2024 and current year (upto January, 2025) is as under: -

| Year     | 2022   | 2023   | 2024   | 2025(Jan)   |
|----------|--------|--------|--------|-------------|
| Persons  | 768    | 574    | 588    | 43          |
| arrested |        |        |        |             |

The  total  number  of  convictions  in  cases  investigated  by  Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) during year 2022 to 2024 and upto January, 2025 is as under: -

| Year      | 2022   | 2023   | 2024   | 2025(Jan)   |
|-----------|--------|--------|--------|-------------|
| Persons   | 54     | 104    | 110    | -           |
| convicted |        |        |        |             |

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