Friday | Jun 20 2025 | 03:18:46 PM
New Delhi, July 18
Union Home Minister Amit Shah sought stricter punishment, public shaming and confiscation of assets of those involved in drug cartels while addressing a conference on ‘Drug smuggling and national security’. Around 1.40 lakh kg drugs were destroyed in various parts of the country on the same day.
HM Amit Shah while addressing the video conference said, "Harsher punishment will act as a strong deterrent as it will send a stronger message,” he said, adding that confiscation of assets of those involved in the drug trade should be intensified. We need to move ruthlessly towards the confiscation of assets. States should collaborate with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on financial investigations and refer the cases to the ED. Until we conduct financial investigations of drug traffickers and break their interest chain, our campaign will not be successful. Our approach should be such that those who consume drugs should be considered as victims, while those who engage in the trade should be marked as culprits".
Reiterating the Centre's agenda to make this country drug free, he added, “Our aim is to make the country drugs free and secure. I appeal to all chief ministers and LGs (lieutenant governors) to extend all possible cooperation for it,” he added. Shah said in the last one year, 10-lakh kg drugs worth Rs 12,000 crore were destroyed and it is a very significant achievement.
“Earlier the main area of drug smuggling was called ‘Golden Triangle’ and ‘Golden Crescent’, but the government of India has proposed internationally that it should be named as ‘Death Triangle’ and ‘Death Crescent’. This approach shows the direction and intensity of our fight against drugs,” he added.
He also watched through video-conferencing the destruction of more than 1.40 lakh kg of drugs worth Rs 2,381 crore in various parts of the country. In a significant achievement, 10 lakh kg drugs worth Rs 12,000 crore were destroyed in the past year, he added.
