Name – SHIVAM YADAV

Section - 3BALLB B
Registration No – 23212136
Semester – 3rd
Subject – national security
Topic – drug trafficking

Drug Trafficking in India

Background
The geographical location of India is disadvantageous when it comes to combating the trade in narcotics.
Having located itself near the Golden Triangle and the Golden Crescent, two most productive worlds’
regions in terms of drug production, India has become an important opium, heroin and hashish trafficking
hub. The country has increasingly become a strategic position for international drug traders and local
production of the trap has also been boosted. However, it has now turned into production of comparatively
inferior quality of heroin and various synthetic products in the country. All these factors have therefore
defined a very complex and diversified drug trafficking network that cuts across both the urban and the rural
regions. Since then, it is not only the big cities that are grappling with the problem but also the rural areas of
the country, across the social classes. Due to this widespread expansion of drug trafficking networks, it has
become even more difficult for police organizations to curb the problem, and thus it calls for a continuation
of efforts that would cover the supply side of the equation as well as the demand side of the equation."

Trends and Patterns

Today India is an emerging market for drugs where enormous change has been witnessed over the past few
years. New psychotropic substances are still being Trafficking of traditional substances such as opium and
marijuana has not stopped, but the use of synthetic substances has become more apparent. There is for
instance the Shrooms, Ice, and Mandys which have become common and famous among the youths. This
shift in consumer trends has in fact resulted in changes on the routes and techniques used in smuggling.
India’s principal gateway is through the borders with Pakistan, Nepal, Myanmar and through sea through the
Arabian sea and the sea of Bengal. But air routes have gained importance over time, especially in the
movement of high value synthetic drugs. As laws are enforced harder, drug trafficking cartels cannot be left
behind; they shift their tactics as a way of operating drones and encrypted language. The curiosity of
extending both domestic and international market for these substances has put pressure on the traffickers for
innovation hence there is an increasing complexity of designing ways of apprehending them. This chase
between law enforcement agents and drug traffickers is such that has seen both sides define themselves in an
almost systematic way by developing new ways and means through which to outwit the other side.

Punjab’s Drug Crisis

The case of Punjab which is one of the states in India is a perfect example of the effects that may be
occasioned by drug trafficking. Lying in the northern part of India, Punjab borders with Pakistan and as such
serve as major conduits for Afghan heroin into India. This convenient position has turned the state into a
chief point of drug distribution, which caused a complex and acute drug problem that penetrated all spheres
of the Punjabi people’s lives.
Drugs have finally found their way into the country and especially the infamous Afghanistan heroin has
created a health havoc of drug and substance abuse in the country and especially among the youths. A place
which used to be just a transit hub for international drug cartels has become more of a Public Health issue
with more and more young Punjabi youth getting addicted to drugs. Due to the availability of drugs over the
counter, deaths due to overdose and drug related issues have become rampant; families have been broken,
and communities brought to their knees.
It is thus clear that the present crisis has social and economic hum hum causes. It is worth to mention that
after attaining great success in agriculture and becoming an iconic state of India as ‘the Granary of India’
Punjab also suffers from agricultural stagnation and many economic issues in the contemporary period. In
the county high levels of unemployment and with the youths keep off any engagement that provides them
source of income and hence they embrace the vice. Also, cultural issues like this perception that anyone who
seeks help for mental illness is crazy has been worsened, forcing even those with drug problems to self-
medicate.
It is however imperative to understand that the effect of the drug crisis is not confined to the physical
wellbeing of an individual. This has resulted in high rates of crime incidences because the addict’s source for
the substance through any means including through criminal activities. Many people have lost their family
members, with many households being the main bread winner that succumbed to addiction and or/ overdose.
There are economic impacts which go with this; productivity has reduced, and this has been accompanied by
a high cost of health facility. Aware of the problem, the state government together with different NGOs has
initiated large-scaled awareness raising campaigns and rehabilitation activities. Such initiatives include the
endeavour of passing information regarding the consequences as well as the likely symptoms associated
with substance use disorders. Awareness programmes are conducted in schools, colleges and community
centres and information is spread through print, visual and verbal media as well as social media.
A new effort has been made for rehabilitation in the state, as many de-addiction centres have been set up.
Such facilities involve detoxification, counseling, and vocational training to assist such persons get back into
the society. Despite this, there is rarely enough funding, time or manpower to cater for the many people who
need these services.
Police forces have also stepped-up efforts to further the fight against supply side of the drugs. This includes
stepped-up borders patrol, actions on local drug syndicates and other measures that address the existing
inside-job that encourages the flow of drugs. Nevertheless, as it has been viewed there’s little ad hoc, the
issue is very deeply rooted plus the drugs continue to be imported from the neighboring countries the fight is
[going] to be tough.
It has also brought out a heated debate on the drug control policies and the general health problem of
Pakistan and has focused the need for a new approach towards handling drug problem. It has occasioned
speculation on whether a punitive approach to dealing with drug abuse is more effective than health based
approaches.
But all these multifaceted endeavors have not brought a conclusive change in the drug crisis in Punjab still
suffice as a major challenge. Due to the fact that this social ill is embedded in the society, socio-economic
factors, and with the neighbouring countries constantly providing the substances, it is quite a painful process
to deal with. The experience of Punjab is a vivid example of what can other states be transformed into and
underlines the necessity of building a proper extensive perspective of fighting drug trafficking and drug
addiction.

Measures Taken
India has employed multiple strategies in the fight against the trade in narcotics, both prevention supply and
demand. Key measures include:
1. Legislation
India has tough laws against the use of and trade in banned substances through several acts but the most
dominant is Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act 1985. This legislation prescribes stiff
measures for actions in relation to the manufacture, distribution, sale, buying, storage, administration,
consumption, importation and exportation of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. Penalties under the
NDPS Act vary from rigorous imprisonment for first-time offenders to death for subsequent offenders where
amounts are large. Successively, there has been an amendment of the Act to cater for emergent practices.
Most significantly, the 2014 amendment also incorporated a provision concerning the treatment of drug
addicts for their treatment that was recognized as a health problem, not only a criminal one.
2. Border Security
Since, India has a long coast and a large number of sensitive land borders, it is important to safeguard these
points of entry against drug smuggling. For security purposes, there is installation of surveillance systems
that include unmanned aerial vehicles, low light vision cameras, and motion detectors by the risky borders.
There have been a number of strategies, one of which has been increasing patrols by the Border Security
Force (BSF) and other agencies in areas including and especially along the India-Pakistan and India-
Myanmar borders which are acknowledged drug corridors. Moreover, at certain points and unexpected
random search are made to arrest drug consignment. This has been highly effective owing to sophisticated
strategies and the ability of law enforcement agencies like the NCB to seize large amounts of drugs.
3. International Cooperation
India shares its borders with many countries and hence works in conjunction with many neighboring
countries and international organization in the war against narcotics. India maintains bilateral relations in the
field of drug control with countries including the USA, UK and Afghanistan. International cooperation and
exchange of information with countries of the Golden Crescent and Golden Triangle areas are said to be
somewhat fruitful in dismantling the networks. Further, India is also involved in the UNODC led
programmes and plays important role in the fighting against stakeholders of drug traffic and abuse all over
the world.
4. Awareness and Rehabilitation
Since the controlling of demand side of drug trafficking in India is primarily associated with awareness
creation as well as providing holistic rehabilitation services. The government together with the NGOs has
embarked on sensitization geared at creating awareness on the effects of taking Narcotics. These campaigns
seek out schools, colleges as well as other communities and it covers as many people as it can with the
different forms of media. In the country today, there are so many facilities where treatment and support
services are provided to people fighting substance use disorders to facilitate their medical, social, and
vocational reabsorption. However, there are de-addiction programs run by both government and private
institutions where they try to detoxify, counsel and provide aftercare services also which focuses different
parameters and tries to uproot the problem at its root to avoid any relapse.

Conclusion
Drug trafficking has remained a perennial problem in India and therefore; it requires constant fight through
local and international cooperation. One could not fail to get a clear picture from the case of Punjab that
demonstrates the high cost that societies pay due to drug trafficking by underlining the need for a multi-
sectoral response strategy when dealing with the problem. In future, further improvements in the existing
legislative regime, better enforcement of controls along the borders of India and increased cooperation with
foreign countries are the key requirements. As vital is the need to increase and develop the effectiveness of
the rehabilitation programs for the individuals concerned. Reducing drug consumption and distribution is a
complex process that should take into account the sides both criminal and societal, which is why the
chapters put emphasis on the nature of the fight against drug trafficking. Thus, measures to counter drug
trafficking must be morphed and changed as well in a way that corresponds to the changes in existing drug
cartels. This requires enhancing on technological aspect, intelligence, and human capital to overcome
traffickers. Furthermore, treatment of the causes that lead to vulnerability of people and communities to
substance abuse, including poverty, joblessness, and literacies, must be dealt with in order to experience
sustainable results. This fight against drug trafficking in India is not a struggle for a boarder or to maintain
laws but a fight for the future generation of youths and the credibility of the Indian society . Unless the
program is an all-encompassing one, long-term and viable, anywhere in India can expect to make serious
headway against this seemingly endless war against narcotics.

References
https://idsa.in/system/files/OP_DrugTraffickinginIndia.pdf
https://www.academia.edu/3204017/Drug_Trafficking_in_India_A_Case_for_border_Security
http://www.idsa.in/
https://narcoticsindia.nic.in/