New Measures Target Drone‑Assisted Narcotics Trade, Says NCB

During the second JCC session focused on the Goa zone, the Narcotics Control Bureau highlighted the growing menace of drones being employed to ferry narcotics across borders. NCB’s Deputy Director General (SWRO) Vishwa M. Sunap, together with I.G. K.R. Chaurasia of the Goa ANTF, underscored the urgency of updating operational tactics in line with the 2026‑2029 vision framework. Attendees from the police, customs, DRI, ED, IB, postal services, FDA and regional police units examined the latest smuggling patterns, including prison‑originated drug supply chains and crypto‑enabled money laundering schemes. The discussion emphasized robust financial investigations for intermediate‑quantity cases, stricter application of the PINTDPS Act, timely intelligence dissemination, and coordinated interrogations. Participants also reviewed red‑flag indicators for uncovering covert drug laboratories. The illegal sale of tapentadol and other prescription drugs without valid prescriptions was addressed, with proposals for heightened enforcement and the possible repatriation of foreign offenders. All agencies reiterated their resolve to enhance joint enforcement, share actionable intelligence, and dismantle organized drug networks through synchronized efforts.