Northern States Unite to Tackle Organised Crime and Drug Trafficking

A high-level meeting was held in Panchkula with police chiefs, NIA, and Narcotics Control Bureau officials from six northern states and Chandigarh. The meeting focused on improving inter-state coordination to prevent organised crime and drug trafficking. Steps to curb cross-border drug smuggling and form a joint task force were discussed.

A high-level meeting of police chiefs from six northern states, including Haryana, Punjab, and Himachal Pradesh, alongside officials from the National Investigative Agency and the Narcotics Control Bureau, convened in Panchkula on Friday. The focus was to enhance mutual coordination to combat organised crime and drug trafficking.

The discussions emphasized thwarting drug trafficking, controlling gang-related activities, and bolstering coordination among the state police forces. There was a significant emphasis on the need for a joint approach to identify drug-trafficking routes and prevent cross-border narcotics smuggling.

In the meeting, senior officers agreed to form a joint team for criminal database sharing, appointing nodal officers to aid in drug secretariat operations. The participants underlined that money from drug trade finances criminal operations and terrorism, with criminals expanding their networks internationally.

(With inputs from agencies.)