46 MoUs, bilateral agreements signed with other nations to check drug trade: Centre

New Delhi, Dec 16 (IANS) India has signed Bilateral Agreements with 27 countries and Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with 19 countries as part of efforts at the international level to control drug trafficking, the Parliament was informed on Tuesday.

Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai, in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, said the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) coordinates with various international organisations for sharing information and intelligence to combat transnational drug trafficking.

For combating illicit trafficking of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) and Chemical Precursors as well as related offences, the NCB works closely with South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation – Drug Offences Monitoring Desk (SAARC-SDOMD), Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS), Colombo Plan, Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and ASEAN Senior Officials on Drug Matters (ASOD).

The NCB also works with the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Co-Operation (BIMSTEC), Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and International Narcotics Control Board (INCB).

Rai said that the NCB takes part in real-time information sharing with various Drug Liaison Officers of other countries such as the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) of the United States of America, the National Crime Agency of the United Kingdom, Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) of Canada, Australian Federal Police (AFP) of Australia, Office Anti-Stupefiants (OFAST) of France, for operational and intelligence information.

He said Director General Level Talks/ Bilateral talks are also organised with neighbouring and other countries such as Myanmar, Iran, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Singapore, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, etc., to resolve various issues on drug -trafficking having international implications.

The MoS said maritime surveillance systems have been strengthened to prevent the trafficking of drugs, including synthetic drugs, through coastal regions.

India is actively participating in Global coalitions to address synthetic drugs. This involves increased information sharing, joint operations and collaborative efforts to track and disrupt international drug trafficking networks, he said.

rch/dan