The Regional Conference of Heads of Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) of North Eastern States, Sikkim, and West Bengal commenced on November 13, 2025, at the Police Complex in Chümoukedima. The two-day event aims to strengthen coordination and develop strategies to combat drug trafficking and substance abuse across the region.
The inaugural session began with a welcome address by R. Sudhakar, IPS, Deputy Director General (North East Region), Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB). He welcomed all participants and emphasized the importance of constructive discussions to create a comprehensive roadmap to counter the growing drug problem in the Northeast. Sudhakar called the conference an opportunity for the states to unite in a common cause against narcotics.
Delivering the keynote address, Nagaland Director General of Police Rupin Sharma, IPS, highlighted the region’s vulnerability due to its 1,643 km porous border with Myanmar and its proximity to the Golden Triangle (Myanmar-Laos-Thailand). “Drug trafficking and use are no longer merely law-and-order issues but a direct threat to our internal security and the future of our youth,” he said. Sharma noted that the flow of drugs and drug money fuels organized crime, insurgency, and narco-terrorism, making the dismantling of drug cartels critical to national security.
The DGP revealed that Nagaland has an estimated 1.2 lakh drug users who consume heroin, locally known as “shaanflower” or “SF.” He proposed focusing on three key pillars: coordination, enforcement, and accountability. He urged coordination among agencies, across the criminal justice system, and between enforcement bodies and the public.
Sharma advised law enforcement agencies to enhance capabilities in surveillance, digital forensics, cryptocurrency tracking, and darknet analysis. He suggested establishing a Northeast Anti-Drug Trafficking Agency as a regional nodal body to facilitate intelligence sharing, manage border surveillance, and oversee rehabilitation programs. He also stressed the need to upgrade forensic infrastructure with new labs, mobile units, and advanced technologies like DNA profiling and mass spectrometry.
Proposing a “Nasha Mukt Bharat Helpline and Reward System,” Sharma said the 24/7 multilingual platform would allow anonymous reporting of drug activities and offer financial incentives for credible information. He further advocated for legal reforms under the NDPS Act.
Director General, NCB, Anurag Garg, IPS, in his address, underscored the need for coordinated efforts among the Northeastern states to improve enforcement and intelligence sharing. He said drug trafficking not only drives organized crime but also strains public health and safety. Citing a 2019 survey by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, he noted that the Northeast recorded higher drug abuse rates than other regions.
Garg said the NCB has established Anti-Narcotics Task Forces (ANTFs) in all states and Union Territories as the first line of defense. He pointed out that most heroin entering the region originates from Myanmar and involves insurgent and organized criminal networks.
He listed key issues for discussion, including targeting drug kingpins, inter-agency integration, real-time intelligence sharing, tackling opium and cannabis cultivation, and improving prosecution of narcotics cases. Garg urged participants to build trust and collaboration across agencies for an effective, unified fight against the drug menace.
The conference was attended by senior officials from the NCB, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, and police departments from all Northeastern states, Sikkim, and West Bengal.
