Guwahati, 06 July (HS): The two-day meeting of the Heads of Anti-Drug Agencies of BRICS nations commenced in Guwahati on Monday, with delegates stressing the need for stronger international cooperation, intelligence sharing and coordinated action to combat the growing global drug trafficking network.

Speaking on the sidelines of the meeting, Lucas Barbosa, Focal Point at Brazil's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, thanked India for hosting the event and said BRICS countries have a strong tradition of cooperation in tackling narcotics-related crimes. He emphasized that enhanced coordination among law enforcement agencies and timely intelligence exchange are crucial to curbing cross-border drug trafficking.

Director General of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Anurag Garg, said India is hosting the BRICS Heads of Anti-Drug Agencies Meeting for the first time. He noted that drug abuse and trafficking have emerged as a global challenge, with young people being among the worst affected.

Garg said the meeting will deliberate on emerging threats, including darknet-enabled drug trafficking, cryptocurrency-based financing of narcotics networks and maritime smuggling routes. The discussions aim to strengthen collaboration among BRICS nations and develop a coordinated strategy to counter evolving global drug trafficking networks.-----------

Hindusthan Samachar / Sriprakash