Policy Watch
Strict Measures Against Cryptocurrency, Drones, and Dark Web: Amit Shah’s Call for Action
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has called for strict action against the dark web, cryptocurrency misuse, and drones, citing their role in security threats. He also highlighted a sevenfold increase in drug seizures over the last decade and announced initiatives like the ‘Drug Disposal Fortnight’ to combat narcotics.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has called for stringent measures to address the growing challenges posed by the dark web, cryptocurrency, online marketplaces, and drones. Speaking at a regional conference on ‘Drug Trafficking and National Security’ in New Delhi, Shah highlighted the evolving threats these technologies pose to India’s security and emphasized the need for a robust response.
The conference, organized by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), focused on combating drug trafficking and its impact on national security, with a special emphasis on eight northern states and Union Territories. Shah stressed the importance of finding technical solutions to these issues through collaboration between state governments, the central government, and technocrats.
He pointed out the government’s success in dismantling drug networks and the associated narco-terrorism in states like Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Gujarat, and Uttar Pradesh. Highlighting the achievements of the past decade, Shah stated that the seizure of drugs had increased sevenfold compared to the previous decade. Drugs worth Rs 54,851 crore were destroyed in the past ten years—eight times more than the drugs destroyed in the decade before.
The Home Minister announced the launch of a ‘Drug Disposal Fortnight’ from January 11 to January 25, during which narcotics worth Rs 8,600 crore would be destroyed. He also inaugurated the new office complex of the NCB’s Bhopal Zonal Unit and expanded the MANAS-2 helpline to all 36 states and UTs.
Shah credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership for adopting a zero-tolerance policy against drug trafficking and emphasized the government’s three-pronged strategy to make India drug-free by 2047. This approach includes strengthening institutional frameworks, enhancing coordination among narcotics agencies, and launching public awareness campaigns.
The conference also focused on real-time information sharing via the National Narcotics Helpline ‘MANAS’ portal and the Anti-Narcotics Task Force. Discussions included bolstering the functionality of State Forensic Science Laboratories (SFSLs), utilizing the NIDAAN database for counter-trafficking efforts, and establishing special NDPS courts for expeditious trials of drug-related cases.
Shah concluded by urging the collective efforts of all stakeholders to ensure national security and protect the young generation from the menace of drugs.
