2 days workshop on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking was inaugurated at Jagjivan Ram RPF Academy

Lucknow। Today i.e. 26.6.2026, on the occasion of International Drug Day, or International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, a 2 days workshop on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking was inaugurated at Jagjivan Ram RPF Academy. Lucknow in collaboration with United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime - Regional Office for South Asia (UNODC ROSA), 400 officers and staff of RPF from across the country are participating in the workshop out of which 250 are attending through online mode and the rest through on campus mode at JR RPF Academy Lucknow.

On the occasion, Eminent speaker Jayant Mishra, consultant UNODC gave the welcome address, highlighting the recent trends and developments in the drug trade.

Sumati Shandilya, IG/RPF/HQ gave the

inaugural address and

highlighted the pivotal role

played by RPF in the drug

enforcement scenario in the

country. The Indian Railways

, termed the Lifeline of the

Nation is spread across 68,000

route kilometre network

across the length and breadth

of the country and is a critical

link in illegal smuggling of

NDPS substances. In 2003,

the legal mandate of RPF expanded to include passenger security and security of passenger areas, On 11.04.2019 RPF was empowered under NDPS Act by a Notification for search and seizures under the Act. RPF has launched Operation NARCOS to tackle the menace of drugs smuggling over the Railway network. RPF has been doing exemplary work in this regard, and in the last year alone has arrested more than 1000 persons with seizures of NDPS substances of value worth more than Rs 80 crore!On the occasion of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, JR RPF Academy which is the nodal Centralized Training Inside under Ministry of Railways for RPF has launched the Narcotics Trafficking Enforcement and Response Certification Training, and the UNODC

Mission INTERCEPT or Mission for Intensive

training is an initiative under this mission.

Several eminent speakers and faculty of UNODC will be conducting the training session which

include

1-Devendra Dutt, ex Member CBIC

2- Dr. Muktesh Chander IPS (Retd.) Ex DGP Goa

3- Kanishka Gaur, Founder and CEO, India Future Foundation

4-Rakesh Maheshwari, Scientist G (Retd.) Meity

5-  OP Sharma, Former Advisor and Convener, Himachal Pradesh Nasha Nirvan Board

6-. Vijay Kumar Lohani, Cyber Security Analyst

7- Anil Sharma, CA Treasurer, INSA.

DIG/Training Dr AN Jha, Senior Commandant/Training  Saharish Siddiqui and other officers from JR RPF Academy were present on the occasion.