Singh said international cooperation was required to collectively fight against ''this menace and evil'.
Drug abuse and trafficking pose a serious threat to everyone and narco business generates the highest illegal fund flows that leads to narco-terrorism, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Friday.
Inaugurating a meeting of BRICS heads of drug control agencies, the Home Minister said drug abuse and trafficking pose a serious threat to civilised societies and it transcends all organised criminal enterprises.
"Today, the drug business generates the highest illegal fund flows and leads to narco-terrorism, which poses a serious threat to global security and endangers peace, health and stability across the regions.
"We all have to come together to collectively fight against this menace and evil which is assuming threatening proportions," he said at the meeting attended by representatives and envoys of countries belonging to BRICS, an association of five major emerging economies comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Singh said international cooperation was required to collectively fight against "this menace and evil", which is assuming threatening proportions.
He said the problems of drug trafficking and abuse have continued to take significant toll on valuable human lives and productive years of many person around the globe. "With the growth and development of world economy, drug traffickers are also seamlessly supplying various types of drugs from one corner to the other ensuring the availability of the contrabands for vulnerable segments of the society who fall into the trap of drug peddlers," he said.
The Home Minister said the vulnerability of nations to drugs and crime remains a grave concern for global society and the illicit cultivation of opium mainly in Afghanistan and South East Asia and coca bush in South America continues to be a challenge for everyone. "Apart from natural drugs, abuse and trafficking of synthetic and new psychoactive substances are causing serious challenge for health care providers and law enforcement agencies," he said.
The Home Minister said the magnitude of the problem becomes more apparent as many drug users are suffering from drug-related disorders or drug dependence. "On the one hand, this places a heavy burden on public health systems in terms of prevention, treatment and cure of drug use disorders, and on the other hand, the drug user becomes unproductive and cannot contribute towards the development and growth of the society," he said.
Singh said the transmission of infectious diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis 'C' and occurrence of drug overdose are potential risk factors that lead to a high level of mortality.
Extending India's full support for eradication of drug menace, he said the country is committed to international cooperation, increased technical assistance and provisions of financial resources in the fight against the drug menace within the framework of UN conventions.
The BRICS Anti Drug Working Group was established with an aim to addressing the issue on countering the illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and their precursors.
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