Top enforcement officers of four States team up in Hyderabad to combat drug menace

The discussions, held at the Telangana Integrated Command Control Centre (TGiCCC) in Banjara Hills, were chaired by T.G. Venkatesh, Deputy Director General, Southern Region, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Senior enforcement officials from multiple States convened in Hyderabad on Friday for two high-level meetings aimed at strengthening inter-agency coordination to tackle drug trafficking.

The discussions, held at the Telangana Integrated Command Control Centre (TGiCCC) in Banjara Hills, were chaired by T.G. Venkatesh, Deputy Director General, Southern Region, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).

The first meeting brought together officials from Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Odisha to enhance inter-State coordination in drug enforcement. The agenda included sharing intelligence on trafficking networks, exchanging data on modus operandi and cooperating in apprehending accused individuals. Representatives agreed to strengthen collaboration to curb drug-related crimes across State borders.

Among the attendees were Sandeep Shandilya, director of the Telangana Anti-Narcotics Bureau, senior officers from the NCB, Anti-Narcotics Task Forces of Tamil Nadu and Odisha, and the Elite Anti-Narcotics Group for Law Enforcement (EAGLE) from Andhra Pradesh.

Later in the day, the State Joint Coordination Committee of Telangana convened, bringing together officials from various enforcement agencies, including the Customs Department, National Investigation Agency, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Intelligence Bureau, and the Income Tax Department. Discussions focused on streamlining inter-agency efforts to combat the drug menace in Telangana, with all participants agreeing to extend full cooperation in enforcement measures.

Key attendees included S. Satish Kumar, Joint Commissioner of Customs, Rajesh T.V., DSP of NIA, and Harish, Deputy Director of Income Tax, among others.

The meetings underscored the increasing emphasis on inter-state and inter-agency collaboration to address the growing challenge of drug trafficking in the region.