Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman urges Dr Yusuf Merchant to spread the word on antidrug commitment of law enforcement agencies

In the virtual presence of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Over 40,000 kgs of illicit drugs and narcotic substances were destroyed in over 13 centres all over India to mark the Drug Destruction Day on June 8.

Dr Yusuf Merchant, the doyen of drug rehabilitation in India for four decades, was the Special Guest of Honour at this momentous event at Taloja, Mumbai. Dr Merchant was all praises for the Customs and DRI that nabbed the drugs hidden also by being mixed in yarn and embedded in rock salt among others.

The Minster Nirmala Sitharaman thanked Dr Yusuf Merchant, the driving force behind Drug Abuse Information, Rehabilitation and Research Centre - DAIRRC serving as a Special Advisor to the United Nations Economic and Social Council that deals with substance abuse. "Dr Merchant, you have also been awarded the Indian Excellence Award for Best Anti-Drug Campaigner of India. There cannot be a more appropriate guest to witness this program which Mumbai Customs Zone 3 is doing. I thank you for coming here. I wish you spread the message that the law enforcement agencies are really committed to make sure that not a little milligram of drug enters into the country.

"It is a huge task but I am very convinced that the field formations of DRI and the Customs will work together to ensure that the country is safe from drugs," addressed Nirmala Sitharaman.

Dr Merchant whose PIL on Meow Meow got the drug added to the NDPS Act thereby banning its free availability across schools and colleges, thanked the Minister.

Appreciating the destruction of drugs, Dr Merchant spoke of his vision of a drugfree India beginning with students in schools and colleges. Said he, "At DAIRRC, our focus primarily goes to schools and colleges. The next is to tell susceptible populations not to use drugs. I really commend the Government of India on this exceptional find and destruction of drugs.

There is actual accountability as to what happens to drugs that get confiscated -- they actually get destroyed. And, this move is really fighting drugs in the best way that it can," he averred.

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( With inputs from ANI )

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