Narcotic drug seizure declines 22 pc to 1,087 tonnes in 2024

Narcotic drug seizures have declined by about 22 per cent year-on-year to over 1,087 tonnes in 2024, government data showed. In 2024, 1,087 tonnes of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances (NDPS) worth Rs 16,966 crores were seized in 72,496 cases across the country. The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) authorities had seized 1,389 tonnes of NDPS worth Rs 16,123 crore in over 1.09 lakh cases in 2023.

To curb the smuggling of narcotics, the Customs Department is keeping a watch over international passenger traffic, porous borders, and commercial cargo coming into the country, CBIC Chairman Sanjay Kumar Agarwal told PTI.



"We keep on making the cases but the border is porous. We are able to catch (smugglers) but still a lot may be coming which may go unnoticed," Agarwal said, without disclosing the quantum of seizures.

As per the government data, in 2024 as many as 94.19 lakh narcotic drug tablets valued at Rs 376 crore were seized at ports in just two cases.

In 2023 and 2022, 1 kg and 1,161 kg narco drugs seizures were made at the ports respectively.

The Smuggling in India Report released by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) in December stated that in recent years, law enforcement agencies have observed a "troubling increase" in the circulation of 'Yaba', a potent drug tablet that combines methamphetamine and caffeine, mostly produced in Myanmar.

Yaba, meaning crazy medicine, has evolved into a recreational drug infamous for its severe addiction potential and devastating health effects. There have been significant seizures of Yaba across the region with 136 kg of Methamphetamine worth Rs 275 crore seized by DRI in FY'24.