NCB refines joint strategies against drug trafficking at Assam's 3rd quarterly meet

Guwahati, November 7 (IANS): Led by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), officials of multiple enforcement agencies discussed joint strategies for fight against drug traffickers, with emphasis on adopting a network-centric approach, at the third Quarterly State-Level Joint Co-ordination Committee (JCC) meeting for Assam, an official said on Saturday.

"The meeting was convened at Police Headquarters in Guwahati to further strengthen inter-agency coordination and enhance collective efforts to effectively address emerging narcotics threats," an NCB official said in a post on social media platform X.

The meeting was chaired by NCB Deputy Director General (North Eastern Region) R. Sudhakar, the official said.

Discussions during the meeting focused on Assam's narcotics scenario, emerging trafficking routes, operational challenges and significant NDPS cases, with emphasis on adopting a network-centric approach to dismantle entire drug trafficking networks, the official added.

"The effective utilisation of NIDAN Portal, NATGRID & FIU-related inputs for intelligence development and investigation was also deliberated upon. The achievements of Operation Trident, a joint NCB-ED-Mizoram Police operation involving 38 teams conducting simultaneous searches at 38 locations across three North-eastern states, were highlighted," the statement said.

"Other participants of the meeting included officials from the NIA, ED, DRI, BSF, CRPF, SSB, RPF, Customs, Income Tax, SIB, State ANTF and other agencies, along with SPs from 13 sensitive districts of Assam," it added.

The Superintendents of Police (SPs) from various districts shared district-specific narcotics trends and enforcement challenges during the meeting that reaffirmed the collective commitment of all agencies towards seamless intelligence sharing, coordinated enforcement, financial investigations and dismantling organised drug trafficking networks in Assam in furtherance of vision of a 'Nasha Mukt Bharat'.

Earlier last month, discussions on strengthening intelligence sharing, financial investigation and coordinated enforcement were held at the NCB's third Quarter State-level Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) Meeting of 2026 for Rajasthan in Jaipur.

The meeting, jointly chaired by DDG, NCB (Western Region) and IG ANTF Rajasthan, witnessed active participation from representatives of NIA, ED, DRI, CBN, Customs, Income Tax, IB, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Drug Controller's Office, State ANTF and other agencies, the official said in a statement.

"Discussions focused on strengthening inter-agency coordination, reviewing significant NDPS cases, drug trafficking networks, clan lab busts and commercial quantity seizures, monitoring bail granted to repeat offenders, curbing illicit diversion of opium and poppy straw and status of de-addiction centres," the statement said.

Emphasis was also laid on dismantling drug trafficking cartels through joint interrogations and intelligence sharing, while expediting enforcement measures to achieve the targets set under Vision Document on Narcotics Control (2026–29), the statement added.