4598 drug smuggling cases registered in J&K from 2017 to 2021: Centre

The Centre on Wednesday said that 4598 drug smuggling cases were registered in Jammu and Kashmir from 2017 to 2021 and that drugs. Among these cases 12 have been registered by the National Investigation Agency.

In a written reply Union Minister of Home Nityanand Rai, as per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said as per the report of NCRB, the number of cases of drug smuggling registered in J&K in the last five years including 743 in 2017, 680 in 2018, 918 in 2019, 933 in 2020 and 1324 in 2021.

He said there is no data or study to indicate an increase in smuggling and consumption of narcotics or drugs in Jammu and Kashmir in the last 5 years.

He said the data is available as per survey conducted by Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment on Extent and Pattern of Substance use in India through the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC) of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi during 2018 for which report was released in February, 2019.

He also said that the estimated number of various drug substance users with age between 18 to 75 is 585000 including 1,36,000 cannabis, 4,47,000 opioids, 1000 cocaine and 1000 Amphetamines type stimulant.

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He said the various steps taken by the Centre to deal with menace of Narco-terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir include National Investigation Agency empowered under NDPS Act 1985 for investigation of Narco terrorism cases.

“To keep check at the land borders, Border Security Force has been empowered under the Narcotics Drugs & Psychotropic Substances Act for making interdiction of narcotic drugs,” he said.

He further said the Government has introduced NCORD mechanism in 2016 to have effective coordination of actions among various Ministries, Departments, Central and States law enforcement agencies dealing with narcotics.

“The mechanism was restructured in 2019 into a 4 tier structure as detailed under Apex Level Committee (headed by Union Home Secretary) Executive Level Committee (headed by Special Secretary (IS),MHA). State Level Committee (headed by Chief Secretary of the concerned State). District Level Committee (Headed by District Magistrate). The NCORD mechanism has been further strengthened by addition of new members at different levels to make it more effective and comprehensive,” he added

He also said dedicated Anti Narcotic Task Force has been established in Jammu & Kashmir, which will also function as the NCORD secretariat—(KNO)