Trump named India, China, Pakistan, Afghanistan among major drug transit nations.
Afghanistan, Bolivia, Burma, Colombia, Venezuela flagged for failing counternarcotics obligations.
US clarified listing reflects geography and trade factors, not cooperation levels.
NCB busted global drug syndicate using crypto, drop shipping, and digital platforms.
India, China, Pakistan and Afghanistan are among the 23 countries who were named as major drug transit or major illicit drug-producing countries by US President Donald Trump in a 'Presidential Determination' submitted to Congress. Trump expressed his commitment to defeating the threat posed by the illegal drug trade in the US.
The other countries who have also been named in the list include The Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Burma, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Laos, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru and Venezuela.
During the 'Presidential Determination,' the U.S. President designated Afghanistan, Bolivia, Burma, Colombia, and Venezuela as countries that have “failed demonstrably" during the previous 12 months to adhere to their obligations under international counternarcotics agreements and to take the measures to improve their counternarcotics efforts.
According to the Presidential Determination, "A country's presence on the foregoing list is not necessarily a reflection of its government's counterdrug efforts or level of cooperation with the United States.” It further stated that the countries are placed on the list on "the combination of geographic, commercial and economic factors that allow drugs or precursor chemicals to be transited or produced, even if a government has engaged in robust and diligent narcotics control and law enforcement measures."
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in coordination with other agencies had earlier dismantled a transnational drug trafficking syndicate that used encrypted digital platforms, drop shipping models as well as cryptocurrency to smuggle controlled medicines across four continents.
During a routine vehicle interception in New Delhi’s Bengali Market, the cartel was busted. This unravelled a sophisticated criminal web operating across India, the United States of America, Australia, and Europe, thereby showcasing the global reach of illicit pharma networks and NCB's capability to lead coordinated international enforcement actions. The US Embassy in India also thanked NCB for the actions against the illegal drugs racket.
