EAGLE: Andhra Pradesh sets up anti-narcotic task force to fight drug menace

Hyderabad: To deal with the growing menace of narcotic drug trafficking and cultivation, Andhra Pradesh on Thursday announced setting up of an Elite Anti Narcotics Group for Law Enforcement (EAGLE) with its headquarters at Amaravati.

Under EAGLE, a narcotic police station and 26 district narcotics control cells one each in the 26 districts of the state will function.

The primary objective of EAGLE is to combat the growing menace of narcotic drug trafficking and abuse within the state and it will also serve as a crucial unit in safeguarding public health, social stability and security across the Andhra Pradesh, said an order issued by home secretary, Kumar Vishwajeet.

EAGLE is a specialised unit to focus on the prevention, investigation and prosecution of drug-related crimes throughout Andhra Pradesh. The Narcotic Police Station headquarters will be at Amaravati having jurisdiction throughout the state.

The EAGLE will be headed by an officer holding the rank of Additional Director General of Police/ Inspector General of Police. It will operate under the overall supervision and control of the Director General of Police- Head of Police Force (HoPF)- Andhra Pradesh.

Sources in the state home department said that the establishment of the EAGLE does not absolve the districts and their field units of their responsibility of controlling the narcotic menace within their jurisdictions.

“The EAGLE will independently register and investigate cases, collaborating with local police as per the provisions of the NDPS Act, 1985 and other relevant laws. All Units / Districts / GRPS are required to fully cooperate and support the EAGLE in all aspects of investigation and enforcement,” said a senior official of the Andhra government.

EAGLE will also have a technical wing that will provide technical support to all the other wings. This wing will perform data and financial analysis, digital forensics, social media, dark net and monitoring of drug offenders and other technical matters.

Additionally, a Special Task Force (STF) wing will work as a unit to generate operational intelligence and conduct operations either independently or jointly with the auxiliary units within their jurisdiction.

One STF Team headed by Deputy Superintendent of Police and other supporting staff will be stationed at Visakhapatnam, whereas another STF headed by DSP will be stationed at Paderu of ASR district to look after the operations.