Question : Smuggling of Drugs and Weapons

(a) the incidents of smuggling of drugs and weapons reported along with the number of persons/drug mafia arrested and the quantum of the said items seized in the country including Punjab during each of the last three years and the current year, item and State-wise;

(b) the details of assistance provided to the States to deal with the said activities during the above period, State-wise;

(c) whether the north-eastern region and areas along the Indo-Pak Border particularly Punjab and Rajasthan are worst affected due to smuggling and drug abuse on account of easy availability of drugs;

(d) if so, the details thereof; and

(e) the measures taken by the Government to curb cases of smuggling and drug abuse as well as rehabilitate the youths addicted to drugs in the country including the border areas?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS
(SHRI HANSRAJ GANGARAM AHIR)

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LS USQ No. 2748 for 02.08.2016

(a): The number of persons arrested, the quantum of drugs and weapons seized, State-wise, including Punjab, as per the datea available, is annexed at Annexure-A.

(b): The funds provided to the States for tackling drug trafficking in the last three years is annexed at Annexure-B.

(c) & (d): India’s close proximity to the major opium producing regions of South West and South East Asia known as the ‘Golden Crescent’ (Pakistan-Iran-Afghanistan) and the ‘Golden Triangle’ (Thailand-Myanmar-Laos) makes it vulnerable to transit trafficking and consumption of opium derivatives in various forms along the known trafficking routes. There have been instances of drug trafficking from across the border along the Indo-Pak border in Punjab and Rajasthan also.

(e): The government has taken various initiatives such as coordinated intensive prevention and interdiction efforts along known drug routes, strengthening of surveillance on the borders, coordination with various law enforcement agencies like BSF, CRPF,
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LS USQ No. 2748 for 02.08.2016

DRI, Central and State Excise and Customs agencies, increased international cooperation for exchange of information and investigative assistance, especially with the neighbouring countries and destruction of illicit poppy and cannabis cultivation of curb illegal trafficking of narcotics. Awareness programmes are carried out all over the country for demand reduction. Community based intervention for motivation and counselling, identification, treatment and rehabilitation of drug addicts are also conducted. De-addiction centres have also been set up for the treatment of drug addicts.

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