Lucknow: Directing officials to intensify action against drug trafficking networks and ensure continuous monitoring of identified hotspots, chief secretary SP Goyal on Thursday chaired the third meeting of the State Level Committee of the Narcotics Control and Coordination Mechanism (NCORD) to review the status of narcotics control, de-addiction measures and disposal of seized drugs in Uttar Pradesh.Goyal instructed district-level NCORD committees to hold regular meetings, maintain surveillance in hotspot areas and take all possible measures to curb narcotics-related activities. He also called for special de-addiction and awareness campaigns in schools and colleges across the state.Emphasising strict enforcement, the chief secretary directed districts to act against the transportation, trafficking and illegal trade of narcotic substances by targeting source points, supply networks and distribution channels. He also stressed strict adherence to prescribed procedures for disposal of seized narcotics and ordered close monitoring to prevent misuse or diversion of precursor chemicals, controlled substances and narcotic drugs.IG, Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) Abdul Hamid informed the meeting that 563 district-level NCORD meetings have been held across the state so far in 2026. Based on an analysis of seizures over the past decade, 10 major hotspot districts have been identified: Lucknow, Kanpur, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Ghaziabad, Agra, Bareilly, Shamli, Barabanki, Saharanpur and Sonbhadra. Twenty high-value targets have been identified in each district and action is underway against them.Hamid said 3,737 cases under the NDPS Act have been registered in UP this year, with 5,390 accused arrested and 32,768 kg of narcotics seized. ANTF alone has registered 153 cases, arrested 340 accused and recovered 8,135.52 kg of narcotics.Since the formation of ANTF in 2022, a total of 4,37,902 kg of narcotics worth about Rs 1,925 crore has been disposed of. The meeting was also informed that posts have been created for personnel to staff special courts in the top 25 NDPS districts, while the proposal to establish these courts is in process.
