Imphal: Manipur government has reconstituted the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) to further strengthen the existing ANTF, which was constituted by the State home department on March 2 last month.
The newly reconstituted ANTF will be headed by the Additional Director General of Police (Int/NAB) and sixteen other officials as members.
The other members are: IGP (Zone III), IGP (Cyber Crime), IGP (Trg/HR), Representatives of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, DIG(Int/NAB), Jt/Dy Secretary (Home), Director (TA&Hills), Director (Social Welfare), Director (Horticulture), Director (MARSAC), Additional District Magistrate, Imphal West, Additional District Magistrate, Imphal East, Addl SP (Admin), Imphal West, Representative of Cyber Corporation (IT) – to be nominated by Director (IT), two government lawyers –to be nominated by the Commissioner (Law).
SP NAB will be the Convener of ANTF and will provide secretariat support.
ANTF will function as Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD) and will also follow up on compliance of decisions taken in NCORD meetings at different levels, said a statement by the State Home department.
It may be noted that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in December last year directed all the state to immediately form dedicated Anti-Narcotics Task Forces (ANTF) under the Directors General of Police to fight the menace of drugs and realise the dream of a ‘drug-free India.’
A national call centre ‘Manas’ would be launched while an effective system is also being put in place to tackle the increasing use of dark net and cryptocurrency in illegal drugs trade. Drones and satellite imagery will be used to locate illegal drug cultivation.
Describing drug trafficking as a borderless crime, the MHA directed that there is a need for better coordination between all drug law enforcement agencies and intelligence agencies, not only at the national level but also between the Centre and states.
According to MHA statistics, 35 lakh kg of drgus worth Rs 1,881 crore were seized between 2018 and 2021 as against 16 lakh kg of narcotics worth Rs 604 crore between 2011 and 2014.
Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh Monday announced that there would be no political intervention or pressure on any drug or anti-national related cases in the state.
The State government is ready to extend every possible assistance to our police forces and public prosecutors. Time has come to deal with these anti-social elements with iron hands, he added.
