Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala has called for a tougher Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, urging Union Home Minister Amit Shah to convene a meeting of the Centre and States to work towards a drug-free India.
In a Facebook post, the minister said he had sent a letter to Mr. Shah requesting the meeting. He said drug seizures in the State, under the 'Operation Toofan' anti-narcotics drive, had revealed extensive networks that reached well beyond Kerala's borders and even into foreign countries. "Consequently, urgent intervention at the national level is essential," he said.
Mr. Chennithala said Mr. Shah had been requested to convene a special meeting of the home ministers of all States to hold detailed consultations on a complete revision of the law and strict follow-up measures, as the drug mafia was "operating freely by exploiting loopholes in the existing legal framework".
He listed what he called the weaknesses of the current system: repackaging large quantities of narcotics into smaller units for distribution, the introduction of new synthetic drugs, the exploitation of delays in forensic testing, and the concealment of funds in 'benami' accounts. "The fact that those who are arrested can easily secure bail by exploiting legal loopholes, only to return to the same drug-trafficking trade, serves as evidence of how weak the current law is," he said.
The minister said the situation required a comprehensive overhaul of the NDPS Act to ensure stringent penalties for repeat offences, and decisive action to dismantle the financial foundations of the drug mafia and confiscate their assets.
He said he had conveyed Kerala's willingness to host the meeting. Recalling a recent meeting with Mr. Shah at Amritapuri, he said the Union Home Minister had expressed appreciation for the progress of 'Operation Toofan'. Mr. Chennithala said the "merchants of death" could be eradicated only if investigative coordination was strengthened and legal reforms implemented soon.