Drug traffickers: Shah proposes seizure of assets, public shaming

He also emphasised that public shaming or boycott of such individuals will discourage others from joining the drug trade. “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,” Shah said.

Shah said everyone should make efforts to bring drug users back on the right path. “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.

4,277 kg drugs disposed in Gujarat: Aim is to ensure no youth under, influence of narcotics: Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah Monday said the fight against drugs is to ensure that no youth is under the influence of narcotics and the country is safe and free from illegal substances.

Shah said this at a conference on ‘Drugs Smuggling and National Security’ during which he 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.

As part of the drive, the Gujarat police Monday disposed of 4,277 kilograms of illegal drugs at Bharuch Enviro Infrastructure Limited (BEIL), a private firm involved in the handling, treatment and disposal of waste in a safe and scientific manner, at Ankleshwar GIDC in Bharuch.

“Our aim is to ensure that no youth is under the influence of drugs…. 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 said.

The home minister said that in a significant achievement, 10 lakh kg drugs worth Rs 12,000 crore were destroyed in the past year.

After getting orders from the respective courts, the drugs were disposed of under the leadership of Deputy Inspector General of Police CID Crime P V Rathod in the presence of the superintendents of police from nine districts — Surat Rural, Kutch, Vadodara city, Vadodara Rural, Surendranagar, Mehsana, Bhavnagar, Panchmahal and Godhra and the ATS.

“The disposed of drugs include ganja, mephedrone and heroin seized by ATS and the police of the other nine districts across the state,” said Rathod.
An official said the seized contraband is first put into a big chamber and heated at a high temperature and it turns into vapour.