In order to bring foreign drug traffickers, gangs, and fugitives under Indian law, Union Home Minister Amit Shah emphasized the urgent need for a strong and efficient system of deportation and extradition during the opening of the 2nd National Conference of the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) in New Delhi.
Speaking to ANTF chiefs from 36 states and Union Territories, Shah commended the CBI’s efforts and instructed state-level units to work closely with the agency’s director to create a unified extradition system that improves enforcement not only against drug trafficking but also against organized crime and terrorism.
He emphasized that in order to bring back foreign criminals participating in the drug trade, the state police, CBI, and Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) must establish an institutional foundation for coordinated operations.
“The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has already registered 18 cases under the PIT-NDPS Act to clamp down on illicit trafficking, and the NCB has launched 360-degree investigations into over 35 cases routed from states,” Shah said, highlighting national efforts.
He noted that the nature of the drug danger is evolving, with synthetic substances and domestic labs expected to become more significant components of the trafficking network. He referred to this as a growing challenge and instructed all state ANTF chiefs to step up surveillance, find, and destroy these covert labs and synthetic drug networks as soon as possible.
Shah’s speech demonstrated the Center’s will to take unyielding action against drug cartels with international ties by making a strong case for the creation of an interagency enforcement grid and a cross-border legal system.
