Anti-Drug Working Group BRICS

The 4th Session of the BRICS Anti-Drug Working Group chaired by Russia was held recently through a video conference. India raised the misuse of darknet and modern technology for drug trafficking by the international criminals.

Important Highlights

  • Also stressed upon nodal points for enabling real-time information sharing among BRICS nations.

Darknet

  • It is related to the hidden internet platform that is being used for narcotics sale, exchange of pornographic content and other illegal activities.
  • Using secret alleys of the onion router such as ToR which is a free and open-source software for enabling anonymous communication for staying away from the surveillance of law enforcement agencies.
  • Due to its end-to-end encryption, it becomes tough to crack ToR.
  • The dark net is part of the deep web that covers all unindexed sites which don՚t pop up during internet search.
  • All the activities associated with the deep web are not nefarious.
  • Due to password protection, pages are not searchable in most cases, authorization is required to get the access.
  • Under the umbrella of the deep web, personal email, online banking, and other similar sites are induced.

UNODC Report May 2020

  • United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Report (UNODC) .
  • There might be an initial statistical reduction in drug seizures due to Covid-19 induced lockdowns and movement restrictions, though it is unlikely to have any impact on illicit drug supply.
  • India has been quoted by UNODC as one of the major hubs of illicit drug trade ranging from age-old cannabis to newer prescriptions drugs such as tramadol and designer drugs like methamphetamine.
  • India also lies in the middle of two major illicit opium production regions:
    • The Golden Crescent (Iran-Afghanistan Pakistan) in the west.
    • The Golden Triangle (South-East Asia) in the east.

India՚s Anti-Drug Action Plan

Launched for the 2020 - 21 includes Drop-in-Centres for Addicts, De-addiction Facilities, Drug-Free India Campaign, and Integrated Rehabilitation Centre for Addicts (IRCAs) .

Golden Triangle

  • Represents the region coinciding with the rural mountains of Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand.
  • Apart from being one of the oldest narcotics supply routes to Europe and North America, Golden Triangle is Southeast Asia՚s main opium-producing region.

Golden Crescent

  • It comprises Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan.
  • This region is also a principal global site as far as opium production and distribution are concerned.

Examrace Team at Dec 2, 2021