Drug trafficking poses serious threat to global security: Rajnath Singh

Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said drug trafficking poses a serious threat to global security and called upon the BRICS nations to come together to collectively fight against the menace.

"The drug business today generates the highest illegal fund flows and leads to narco-terrorism, which poses a serious threat to global security and endangers peace, health and stability across regions," Singh said at the inauguration of the second anti-drug working group meeting of Heads of Drug Control Agencies of BRICS in the national capital.

The Home Minister said the problems of drug trafficking and abuse have taken their toll on valuable human lives and vulnerability of nations to drugs and crime remains a grave concern.

He said a BRICS Anti-Drug Working Group was created following a ministerial meeting at Moscow in April last year and the first meeting was held on November.

The working group was established with an aim to address illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, he said.

The Minister said India has taken over the chairmanship of BRICS this year and it will hold a series of meetings on the problem concerning drug abuse.

"All the five member countries of BRICS are distinguished by their large and fast-growing economies, having significant political influence on the world and regional affairs and all five are G-20 Members," he added.

He said that the BRICS countries -- Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa -- represent over 42 percent of the world population having a combined GDP of approximately 20 percent of the gross world product.

He called upon nations to re-affirm their shared responsibility through a renewed commitment to multilateralism, international cooperation, increased technical assistance and provision of financial resources in the fight against the drug menace.

--IANS

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