274 fugitives extradited from 36 countries since 2019; ₹17,874 crore in fugitive assets seized; new four-pillar plan sets 2029 deadline for a drug-free India
Basit lone
Panaji, September 6 (BuzzBytes): Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah on Sunday addressed a press conference on narcotics control in Panaji, with Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant also present.
Shah said that since Narendra Modi became prime minister, the government has taken numerous steps to strengthen the country’s internal security. When Modi assumed office, he said, the country was facing rising terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, Naxalism, unrest from armed organisations in the Northeast, and large-scale bomb blasts. Looking back from 2019 to now, the situation has changed significantly: after the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, the feeling of separatism has reduced considerably, terrorism figures are gradually moving towards zero, and Jammu and Kashmir has progressed on the path of development. The five-decade-old problem of Naxalism, he said, has today almost become a thing of the past, with most who imagined a “Red Corridor” having surrendered and joined the mainstream; in the Northeast too, around 11,000 youth have laid down arms, with more than 14 agreements signed with them.
Shah said that after 2019 a campaign was also launched against fugitives who fled after committing crimes. From 2019 to July 2026, 274 fugitives have been extradited from 36 countries, including people involved in economic offences, terrorism, narcotics and gang wars, all of whom have been brought before Indian courts. In the last three years, 401 Red Corner Notices have been issued, with 182 completed in 2026 alone up to July. A new system called ‘BHARATPOL’, linking more than 14 central agencies and the police of all states, has been created for this purpose. From 2019 to 2026, properties worth approximately ₹17,874 crore belonging to fugitives have been sealed or confiscated.
On cyber crime, Shah said a systematic mechanism monitored personally by the Prime Minister has been created, and the 1930 helpline has become an effective medium for protection against cyber crimes. He thanked the Chief Minister of Goa and Goa Police for implementing the new Nyaya Sanhita and the three new criminal laws quickly, raising the state’s conviction rate to 53.2 per cent — an increase of roughly 30 per cent in convictions secured in registered FIRs.
Turning to narcotics, Shah said drug earnings are also used to fund terrorism and that a narco-terror module is active in many countries. He said that before 2014, the fight against drugs was conducted in a piecemeal manner with small seizures and small-time accused, but since 2019 the Modi government has made it a national security priority. In 2019, a four-tier NCORD mechanism was created, dedicated Anti-Narcotics Task Forces were set up in every state and Union Territory, and a Joint Coordination Committee was constituted. The ‘1933’ Manas helpline was started for rehabilitation of drug-addicted youth, the Narcotics Control Bureau’s cadre was restructured, and a national database of narcotics offenders was created through the NIDAAN portal. Using CCTNS data and integrated data fusion, a data-based map of hotspots, modus operandi and seizures across the country was prepared, adopting both bottom-to-top and top-to-bottom investigation.
Shah said special emphasis was given to financial investigation and PIT-NDPS, with a high-level dedicated task force constituted, and technology-based investigation started against the dark net, encrypted communication, crypto transactions and dead-drop delivery, including a dedicated Dark Net-Crypto Cell in the ANTF. He said that from 2004 to 2014, under the previous government, 26 lakh kilograms of drugs worth approximately ₹40,000 crore were seized; from 2014 to 2026 under Modi, this rose to more than 1 crore 19 lakh kilograms worth approximately ₹1 lakh 89 thousand crore. From 2004 to 2014, 3 lakh 36 thousand kilograms of drugs were destroyed, compared to 48 lakh 68 thousand kilograms destroyed in 2014–26.
Shah said 10 apex meetings, 7 executive meetings, 277 state-level meetings and 16,798 district-level meetings of NCORD have been held, agreements signed with 46 countries for international cooperation, 25 crore citizens contacted and administered the Nasha Mukt Bharat oath, and 5 lakh 70 thousand citizens made drug-free under treatment and rehabilitation. In Goa, he said, action has increased roughly three times in the same period.
Shah announced a three-year roadmap from July 2026 to July 2029, declaring this period a “mission mode” with fixed timelines, ministry accountability, measurable outcomes and quarterly reviews. The roadmap rests on four pillars — intelligence and operation-based enforcement; precursor and synthetic drugs control; demand and harm reduction; and capacity building and coordination. Under this plan, the BSF, CISF, Indian Coast Guard, Customs and DRI will carry out risk-based profiling and install scanners at borders, ports, airports and cargo hubs; the CBI, Ministry of External Affairs and Interpol will bring back fugitives; and the Enforcement Directorate, Financial Intelligence Unit and banking system will trace the money trail. Through the NCC, NSS and My Bharat, lakhs of ‘Nashamukti Mitra’ volunteers will be prepared, de-addiction centres will be tripled to 1,751, and roughly 10,000 volunteers will serve in the campaign. Central assistance of 7 per cent will be provided to create fully equipped Anti-Narcotics Task Forces in every state by March 2027, and forensic reports will be made available within 30 days.
Shah said foreigners are welcome in India, but not with drugs, and that a “Quadrangular Approach” is being adopted to curb smuggling through the routes of the “Death Triangle” and “Death Crescent.” Just as Naxalism has been eliminated, he said, the problem of drugs will also be eliminated with the same resolve—(BuzzBytes)
