Mumbai, Oct 6 (IANS) Director General of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Anurag Garg called on Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Mumbai and discussed measures to intensify the fight against drug trafficking, an official said on Tuesday.
The NCB official said on X, “Detailed discussions were held on the various steps being undertaken by the Ministry of Home Affairs under the Whole-of-Government Approach against drug trafficking and distribution in line with the Central Government’s objective of making the country drug-free by December 2029, along with Maharashtra’s ongoing efforts and the action plan for the coming period.”
“The state continues to be at the forefront of this nationwide mission to build a drug-free Maharashtra,” said the NCB.
Earlier in August, the India-US Counter Narcotics Working Group (CNWG) Pillar I Working Group Meeting was hosted by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in a hybrid format to strengthen bilateral cooperation in combating narcotics trafficking.
The NCB shared details of the meeting on the social media platform X, stating, “The India-US Counter Narcotics Working Group (CNWG) – Pillar I Working Group Meeting was hosted by the Narcotics Control Bureau on 6 August 2026 in hybrid mode.”
The meeting brought together representatives from several Indian and US agencies. Participants from the Indian side included the NCB, Central Bureau of Narcotics (CBN), Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Department of Revenue and Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals.
The US delegation included officials from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), LEGAT, Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and the US Department of State.
The discussions focused on strengthening operational cooperation, preventing the diversion of precursor chemicals, enhancing policy coordination, and advancing capacity building, said the NCB.
According to the Union Home Ministry, the NCB has strengthened international cooperation in drug control through bilateral agreements with 27 countries and Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with 19 countries.
India holds regular Director General (DG) Level/bilateral talks on drug-related matters with countries such as Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Singapore and the US, said an official.
–IANS
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