NEW DELHI: The number of drug cases registered by law enforcement agencies across India rose by nearly 53% in 2025 from the previous year, the biggest increase in at least five years since 2021, even as drug seizures, in terms of quantity, increased to 1,240 tonnes, according to the 2025 annual report released by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Friday.
These figures must be seen in the context of India’s fight against drugs, as the Center has intensified its drive to achieve the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government’s goal of making India drug-free by 2047. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who unveiled the government’s three-year vision document on drug control (2026-2029), said the Center will intensify its crackdown on drug trafficking networks while strengthening measures to curb drug abuse.
“We must adopt a tough approach towards drug traffickers while maintaining a compassionate approach towards affected youth,” Shah said.
According to the report, drug law enforcement recorded 148,063 cases and arrested 183,675 people in 2025, resulting in the seizure of 1,240 tons of drugs worth $1.5 million. $18,227 Crores. Cannabis products, including marijuana, hashish and cannabis oil, accounted for 51% (633,597 kg) of the total seizures, followed by opiates such as heroin, opium, morphine, codeine and poppy straw at 29% (361,423 kg).
The number of cases rose from 68,144 in 2021 and 96,930 in 2024 to a five-year high of 148,063 in 2025. The report followed a similar pattern from 93,538 in 2021 to 122,224 in 2024, then rising to 183,675 in 2025. He added that the state police forces formed 94.8% (140,294) of total cases.
Shah also compared the Centre’s anti-drug enforcement record with that of the previous United Progressive Alliance government.
“Between 2004 and 2014, the value of drugs increased $40,000 crore and 26 thousand kg of synthetic drugs were seized. In contrast, from 2014 to 2026, the value of drugs increased $1.84 lakh crore and 1.18 lakh kg were seized. This indicates that our campaign is progressing successfully. In the next three years, we will make tremendous progress towards eliminating drug networks in India.
The report identified four main drug trafficking corridors to India – the Golden Crescent (Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran), the Golden Triangle (Myanmar), the Indian Ocean sea route and the Balkan route. Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat remain the main entry points for heroin, opium and hashish from the Golden Crescent, while Manipur and Mizoram receive methamphetamine tablets, heroin and yaba from the Golden Triangle.
Myanmar has overtaken Afghanistan as the world’s largest illicit opium producer after the Taliban banned poppy cultivation in 2022, making India’s northeastern states increasingly vulnerable to trafficking, the NCB said.
The report also noted the rapid rise in drug smuggling using drones along the India-Pakistan border. Drone-related cases rose from just three in 2021, involving 10 kg of drugs, to 305 cases involving 468 kg in 2025. Punjab accounted for 298 of these cases and 461 kg of seizures, mostly heroin.
“India is geographically located between the Golden Triangle and the Golden Crescent, while drug traffickers have adopted advanced methods such as drone drops, containerized shipping, dark web, cryptocurrency payments, parcel shipments, and order-to-delivery models,” Shah said. “Our response to this difficult fight must be collective, organized, roadmap-based, modern, and intelligence-driven. Our approach must be technology-driven, and we must wage a centered war.” “He transformed the network with a ruthless approach.”
