New Delhi: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has asked State governments and Union Territories (UTs), especially those that share borders with neighbouring countries to enhance district-level coordination to fight the menace of drugs. The Home Ministry has also asked the border guarding agencies to intensify border patrolling especially in the border States of Manipur, Assam, Rajasthan, Punjab, J&K, Meghalaya, Mizoram among others.
The Ministry has given special emphasis to the Northeastern States of Manipur, Assam as these two States have become the transit routes for drug traffickers. In the recently concluded 'Chintan Baithak' the issue of drug trafficking was elaborately discussed.
Terming the issue of drug trafficking as a major threat, Home Minister Amit Shah has asked all the state governments to take strict action against people found involved in drug trafficking. He cautioned that the Northeast should not be used as a corridor for drug trafficking as arms and ammunition might come with drugs.
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An investigation conducted by several security agencies has revealed that through drug trafficking, organisations inimical to India's security support terrorism. In recent raids conducted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), it was revealed that gangsters in Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh get involved in drug trafficking along with terrorist organizations.
A senior official in the Home Ministry told ETV Bharat on Saturday that the 'Chintan Baithak' that was held at Surajkund in Haryana also discussed the routes of such drug trafficking. "Manipur and Assam in Northeast are the two major States where we are giving much more attention following the fact that these two States have become the major transit route for drug traffickers," the official said.
Drugs coming from Myanmar enter India through Manipur and Mizoram border from where the consignments are delivered to other States via Guwahati in Assam. The official said that the government is implementing several projects for the use of drone technology to detect drug transportation and business.
"We are in talks with several private players involved in the drone business. Once finalised, our security forces in the northeast will also be equipped with the latest drone technology to monitor such activities," the official said.
