Following a failed raid by former regional director Sameer Wankhede in the Cordelia Cruz case on the basis of small quantities of illegal drugs and shaky allegations that have tarnished the image of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), the agency’s chief SN Pradhan asked all units Instead of targeting the consumers, focus on matters related to major drug networks.
Asking the NCB officials to focus on organized terror networks, international mafia and narco-terrorism, Pradhan said the agency should not waste its resources and time in cases involving small amounts of drugs, which are being handled by the local police. can be controlled.
“I have given clear instructions that only large cases involving organized syndicates and international links will be investigated by the NCB,” Pradhan said. “It is not our job to investigate every small drug case. We have limited resources and time. The local police can pursue such cases.”
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Pradhan’s direction is in line with the Anti-Drug Enforcement Agency’s core mandate, which requires it to investigate large conspiracy cases, analyze drug seizure data, study trends, study smugglers’ modus operandi, intelligence gathering and dissemination. To do. Coordinating with Customs and State Police, and helping the Government to formulate its anti-drug policy from time to time.
As seen in the case of Aryan Khan, who was cleared of all charges by a Special Investigation Team on Friday, the recovery of six grams of hashish from his friend Arbaaz Merchant and the use of WhatsApp chats on the son of film star Shah Rukh Khan To charge for consumption. and possession of drugs.
In fact, of the 20 people arrested, who were part of seven groups that were not related, small amounts of drugs, 5 grams of mephedrone, 10 grams of cocaine and 15 ecstasy pills, were recovered.
The Central Drugs Enforcement Agency was constituted in March 1986 as per the provision of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. Apart from implementing the obligations relating to countermeasures against illegal trafficking under various international conventions, the Bureau assists foreign agencies to prevent smuggling and with the Union Ministry of Health and other departments and organizations in drug abuse cases. coordinates.
It is India’s nodal agency for real-time information sharing with drug liaison officers of the US’s Drug Enforcement Agency, the UK’s National Crime Agency and officials from Canada, Australia, France and other countries.
“Though we have powers under the NDPS Act, but with a strength of 1,200 personnel, we cannot chase every drug case on the streets,” a bureau official said on condition of anonymity. “Police, Excise, Revenue and Customs officers, who have equal powers under the NDPS Act, should ideally follow the roadblocks.”
“Technically, our executives should not even consider chasing leads where small amounts are being consumed or sold,” he said. “For us, the major concern is that terror networks based in Pakistan and Afghanistan are trying to inject huge quantities of heroin into India with the aim of destabilizing the country. Seizure of three thousand kg heroin 21,000 crore at the Mundra port in September 2021 is one such example.
The federal agency is also leading the apex level Narco Coordination Center (NCORD), where it coordinates with all drug law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders, and provides a common forum for discussion on issues related to drug trafficking. does. In December last year, Home Minister Amit Shah had asked the NCORD to put in place an effective system to check the growing use of dark nets and cryptocurrencies in the trade of illegal drugs.
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