New Delhi: Nearly 1.40 Lakh kg of narcotics of worth Rs. 2,378 Crore were destroyed in different parts of the country by Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in coordination with Anti Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) of all states, said Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday.

The statement came following the Regional Conference on ‘Drug Trafficking and National Security’ chaired by Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah, in the national capital.

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Addressing the event, Shah claimed, “In my presence, more than 1.40 Lakh kg of narcotics of worth Rs. 2,378 Crore were destroyed in different parts of the country by NCB in coordination with ANTF of all states, which is a record for highest quantity of drugs destroyed in a single day.”

“Under the leadership of PM Modi, 10 lakh kilograms of narcotics worth more than Rs 12,000 crore have been destroyed in the last one year of Amrit Mahotsav and this is also a record in itself,” he said.

Shah said that in a country like India, drug trafficking and their usage not only ruins the future generations, but also affects national security. “Ministry of Home Affairs, is continuously running a campaign against drugs through the meetings of Regional Conferences and these meetings are being held to review them and make timely changes in our policies based on the feedback,” he said.

Informing about the vision of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shah stated that PM has set a target for Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav that India and its youth should become drug-free by the time the centenary of the country’s independence is celebrated.

“The aim of Modi Government to create such an India where not even a single youth is addicted to drugs and to achieve this it is necessary for the states and the Centre both to work together,” Union Home Minister said.

However, Shah also inaugurated the Bhubaneshwar office of NCB. He informed that the construction of a new building for Amritsar Zonal Office of NCB at a cost of Rs. 12 crore has begun and the Bhoomi Pujan of a new NCB’s Delhi office is also concluded today.

Shah emphasized on the need of creating awareness regarding the drugs saying that the biggest victory in the fight against drug is creating awareness across the country.

“We cannot win this fight until we create awareness against drugs in the minds of the youth and parents of the country,” he asserted.

“A total of 1,250 cases were registered between 2006 and 2013, while 3,700 cases have been registered in the nine years from 2014 to 2023, which shows an increase of 200 percent. A total of 1,360 arrests were made earlier period, which has now gone up to 5,650, which shows an increase of 300 per cent. The quantity of drug seized was earlier 1.52 lakh kg, which has now increased by 160 per cent to 3.94 lakh kg,” said Shah, while addressing the conference.

“Drugs worth Rs 5,900 crore were destroyed between 2006 and 2013, while drugs worth Rs 18,100 crore have been seized and destroyed between 2014 and 2023,” Union Home Minister added.