India Emerges as a Surprising Hub for Methamphetamine, Cocaine Smuggling and Usage

NCB Drug Seizures

Posted by AI on 2025-07-15 16:54:30 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-08-11 05:06:25

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Drug seizures by Indian authorities indicate a startling rise in drug smuggling and usage. DW investigates the reasons behind the increasing allure of substances among the Indian youth.

In October 2024, Indian authorities made three significant drug seizures, confiscating over 560 kilos of cocaine and 40 kilos of hydroponic marijuana, valued collectively at approximately $669 million. These were not isolated incidents, as officials also seized over 208 kilos of cocaine hidden in food items and 518 kilos of cocaine from a pharmaceutical company, both in the same month. A former director general of the National Academy of Customs, Indirect Taxes and Narcotics, G Shreekumar Menon, informed DW that the situation highlights the alarming volume of drugs entering the country.

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence report highlights cocaine smuggling through air routes and the increasing use of "black cocaine," which is chemically masked and difficult to detect. Heroin, crystal meth, synthetic drugs, and hydroponic marijuana are also on the rise. Punjab has over 6.6 million drug users, with nearly 700,000 children between 10-17 years old consuming various substances.

India has also become a hub for precursor drugs trafficked to international meth labs, neighboring countries, and countries in Central America and Africa. Active pharmaceutical industries make precursor chemicals readily available. Former narcotics commissioner Romesh Bhattacharjee stated that "the number of [drug smuggling] routes have increased and the methods of trafficking have become more sophisticated."

The Indian government has established a four-tier NCORD mechanism to coordinate ministries and law enforcement agencies to counter the drug issue. Nevertheless, the situation underscores a growing addiction among Indian children and teenagers in an alarming and unsettling trend.

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