New Delhi (NVI): India will host first conference on drug trafficking for BIMSTEC partner nations here tomorrow, providing an opportunity to member nations to deliberate on the increased threats posed by the menace and the collective steps required to negate it.
The conference is being organised by Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), the federal agency for drug law enforcement.
Delegations from each BIMSTEC nation have been invited to participate in the conference. Further, various central and state drug law enforcement agencies of India and other stakeholders have also been invited, according to an official statement.
In the changing drug trafficking scenario, Asian countries are increasingly being affected by drug trafficking and BIMSTEC, being the key link between South Asian and South East Asian Nations is one of the most effective platforms to tackle this global threat.
The BIMSTEC is a regional organization comprising seven Member States lying in the littoral and adjacent areas of the Bay of Bengal that is Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand besides India, constituting a contiguous regional unity.
Regional maritime connectivity and trade through the Bay of Bengal are imperative for the shared prosperity and economic growth of the entire BIMSTEC region.
However, while providing unhindered maritime access, security challenges at sea and coastlines are a threat.
One of the most prominent of such challenges is the drug trafficking through sea. It necessitates collaborative efforts at sea, including further strengthening of effective coordination in operations and information sharing amongst partner nations, to combat this menace.
The recent seizures of Methamphetamine is 1156 kgs and 371 kgs by NCB establish the fact that Bay of Bengal region is impegnerated with the drug trafficking menace.
