Cultivation and smuggling of Ganja (dry cannabis) and other narcotics substances have often come to light. As a key source of finance for Naxals and other insurgencies/terrorist groups throughout the country, notably Odisha, Jharkhand, and Jammu & Kashmir.
In an exclusive interview, the newly appointed DG of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), DG SN, said that preventing terror funding through drugs is a high priority and that talks with the country’s top investigating agencies are already beginning to develop a comprehensive approach.
“Today, we have discussed the issues of terror funding through drugs and already we are working in close coordination with several agencies to put a check on the cultivation of narcotics substances and related issues,” said Pradhan
“We hope in the next few months or years, we will see a big impact on this aspect,” said Pradhan. As India is a source, transit, and user country for various narcotics substances, it will certainly be a challenge for the NCB to control the menace. “We hope to create a country-wide awareness drive on a national mission mode,” he added.
The NCB chief went on to say that the situation in various states across the country is quite serious. He stated that a comprehensive strategy has been designed to intensify the crackdown on the source and user states in various parts of the country.
The NCB chief’s declaration is especially significant for Odisha, given the state’s ongoing narcotics arrests. Those have included cannabis, brown sugar, and heroin in recent. Odisha has acquired the reputation of being the country’s “Cannabis Capital” due to the volume of Ganja trade it produces.
