It is often said that Punjab is spiralling towards destruction due to drug addiction. However, Goa, Mizoram, Meghalaya, and Manipur are also significantly affected. Many believe that the root of Manipur’s problems lies in the drug trade. For several decades, drug mafias and their networks have maintained a ‘Golden Triangle’ for drug trafficking between Manipur and Myanmar. However, since Union Home Minister Amit Shah declared his intention to transform this ‘Golden Triangle’ into a ‘Death Triangle,’ the operations of drug mafias have been disrupted, leading to the loss of lives of many agents.
As these drug traffickers previously received political protection from the northeastern states, they operated discreetly. However, since Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister in 2014 and Amit Shah implemented a zero-tolerance policy against drug dealers, these same drug mafias are now working to fuel the insurgency.
Organised crime syndicates are most prominent in the drug trade. While there are no precise figures on the size of the drug syndicate business, every country is aware that this illegal trade is the largest globally, affecting every nation and being fought against by many. According to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, drugs worth `16,914 crore were seized in India in 2024 alone. Some countries are even promoting this trade, possibly due to the absence of a proper system, effectively being controlled by criminals. There are five major countries in the world where the drug trade is most prevalent: Iran, followed by Afghanistan, Russia, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
India is among the few countries that have always been targeted by drug syndicates. With the world’s largest population and borders shared with China, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar, India has become a major and relatively easy market for drug dealers. Additionally, Pakistan has used drug shipments as a weapon in its proxy war against India.
Many countries worldwide, including India, are troubled by drug mafias. The United States has the highest number of drug addicts. However, India has taken the problem of drug addiction seriously and is addressing the issue with seriousness and Modi’s government has launched a campaign for a drug — free India, similar to the efforts to make India free from Naxalism. The central government is dealing with the issue of drug addiction with great sensitivity.
The seriousness of the Modi government is evident from the fact that it is running over 340 de — addiction centres across the country with its resources.
It is not only working to prevent the entry of drug shipments by engaging in strategic partnerships with state governments but also running de-addiction campaigns on humanitarian grounds for the affected.
Since the drug trade is an organised crime, it can only be combated through joint efforts. Coordination between the Central and State Governments and a strong will to eliminate this evil are essential. Recently, Amit Shah informed the country through Parliament that his ministry has established a four-level Narco Coordination Centre mechanism with the States to improve coordination between Central and State agencies working against organised criminals. A dedicated web portal, NCORD, has been launched to ensure that all agencies work in the same direction and exchange information in real time. Similarly, a dedicated Anti-Narcotics Task Force has also been formed. Paramilitary forces like the BSF and Assam Rifles have been authorised under the NDPS Act to conduct search and seizure operations against drug syndicates. We have achieved significant successes in recent years. From 2014 to 2024, one crore kilograms of drugs have been seized, with an estimated value of `1.5 lakh crore. Under Amit Shah’s tenure, over six lakh 56 thousand drug cases have been registered. This is significantly higher than before 2014. However, the truth is that the drug trade has not stopped and continues to reach people discreetly. It is also important to note Amit Shah’s statement in Parliament that the fight against drugs cannot be won by the central government alone, society and the states must also play their part.
It is indeed true that the campaign against drugs should start from the threshold of our homes.
(The writer is former Information Officer, UAE Embassy. Views expressed are personal)
