In coordination with the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Government of India, the Nagaland Police is organizing a two-day conference of the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) of all the Northeast States, including West Bengal and Sikkim, on November 13 and 14 at the Nagaland Police Complex, Chümoukedima.

Addressing the media at the Mini Conference Hall, PHQ Kohima , Director General of Police (DGP) Nagaland, Rupin Sharma, IPS informed that this is the first-ever regional conference of its kind. He said the event is expected to see the participation of senior officers from the Government of India, including the Director of the Narcotics Control Bureau, a Special DGP of the CRPF, and IG-rank officers from the Northeast States.

The DGP added that the Union Home Secretary was also expected to attend, but owing to the situation following the recent blast at the Red Fort in Delhi, his presence is yet to be confirmed.

DGP Sharma expressed hope that the conference would provide a platform for the Anti Narcotic Task Forces units of the Northeast to deliberate on the growing problem of narcotics trafficking both within the region and from the Northeast to the rest of the country.

“We aim to come up with a set of solutions and suggestions for implementation within the Northeast, as well as suggestions or recommendations for the Government of India, so that the war against drugs can be successfully fought,” he stated.

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He highlighted that the entire country has adopted the Nasha Mukt Bharat (Drug-Free India) mission, and this conference — covering the Northeast, Sikkim, and West Bengal — is the first such regional initiative in India.

During the two-day meet, Sharma said, all participating states will share updates on their ongoing initiatives, best practices, achievements, and challenges faced during investigation or combating the war against drugs. “We will try to come up with a set of recommendations or suggestions for the Government of India, where we expect help from the Government of India to help all the states in the Northeast,” he said.

“And it is not just going to be confined to the primary focus is on supply reduction, which is on investigation and law enforcement, but it is also going to include sessions on other things like rehabilitation, de-addiction, the demand reduction part and other things also are going to be there,” he noted .