Guwahati

A two-day meeting of the heads of anti-drug agencies from BRICS member countries got underway here on Monday, with India proposing the establishment of a dedicated virtual working group of the bloc to address evolving trends in narcotics trafficking.

Speaking at the inauguration of the meet, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) director general Anurag Garg said the emergence of modern drug trafficking methods has turned the menace into a global threat.

"Emergence of modern, highly sophisticated methods of trafficking has turned what was once a localised problem into a hyper-connected global threat," he said.

Underlying the role of BRICS in addressing the challenge, Garg said, "I propose the establishment of a dedicated BRICS Virtual Working Group to systematically address these rapidly evolving trends."

"This mechanism would serve as a vital platform to meet regularly, exchange real-time intelligence, analyse shifting trafficking patterns, and seamlessly coordinate joint law enforcement operations," he added.

Garg also stressed the need to build the capacity of frontline officers through specialised cross-border training initiatives and continuous sharing of best practices among member agencies.

"Together, as an expanded BRICS family, we possess the collective strength to truly change the world and turn the vision of a drug-free society into a reality," the NCB DG added.

The two-day meeting will focus on three priority areas -- combating synthetic drugs and precursor diversion, strengthening intelligence sharing and operational coordination, and capacity building and institutional cooperation.

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The BRICS, initially comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, expanded in 2024 to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the UAE, with Indonesia joining in 2025.

The grouping has emerged as an influential bloc, bringing together 11 major emerging economies that account for around 49.5 per cent of the world’s population, about 40 per cent of global GDP and nearly 26 per cent of global trade.