Punjab sees alarming surge in drug-laden drones from Pakistan: NCB
NCB added that there has been a “sharp” increase in drone sightings and recoveries of narcotics in border districts of the state like Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur and Gurdaspur.
A “sharp” spike has been seen in the sightings and recovery of drugs-laden drones coming into India from Pakistan across the international border in Punjab over the last four years posing a “significant” threat to the country’s internal security, according to a report released on Tuesday.
Anti-narcotics agencies have also witnessed a six-time increase in the seizure of synthetic drugs between 2019-24, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) said in its annual report for 2024.
Union home minister Amit Shah released the report during the 2nd national conference of heads of anti-narcotics task force (ANTF) of various states and UTs that he inaugurated on Tuesday.
The NCB is a federal anti-narcotics agency under the ministry of home affairs.
“The use of drones for cross-border smuggling of narcotics has emerged as a significant threat to India’s internal security, particularly along the Pakistan border in Punjab. This evolving modus operandi has replaced traditional smuggling methods and poses a complex challenge for law enforcement and border security agencies,” the report, accessed by PTI, said.
It added that there has been a “sharp” increase in drone sightings and recoveries of narcotics in border districts of the state like Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur and Gurdaspur.
In 2024, the number of such seizures “rose manifolds” reaching 179 cases as compared to just three cases in 2021. The recovered drug consignments largely included heroin and opium, the report said.
Out of the 179 cases of drug trafficking through drones along the India-Pakistan border reported last year, 163 took place in Punjab, 15 along the same front in Rajasthan and one in Jammu and Kashmir. The total drug recovery was about 236 kgs, according to the report.
The report said a “significant” trend was noticed with the seizure of six-time higher synthetic drugs over the last six years (2019-24) in the country. These drugs included ATS (amphetamine type stimulants), MDMA, mephedrone and methaqualone abused mainly by youngsters. The agencies seized 3,359 kg of mephedrone across the country in 2024 as compared to 275 kgs in 2020.
“In 2024, about 11,994 kgs of synthetic drugs were seized compared to just 1,890 kgs in 2019,” said the report that compiles all-India figures on narcotics.
The seizure of synthetic drugs in the country during 2020 stood at 1,989 kg, 657 kg in 2021, 4,216 kg in 2022 and 4,209 kg in 2023.
In 2024, seizures from the sea amounted to 10,564 kg witnessing a nearly 500-fold surge as compared to 2019, it said.
In 2024, anti-narcotics agencies across the country seized 1,483 kgs of cocaine, which was about 78 times higher than what was seized in 2020 and about five times higher than in 2023, according to the report.
In 2024 the agencies seized over 2.75 lakh units (injections) valued at ₹4.54 crore with states like Punjab and Maharashtra witnessing “high volumes” of their seizure, the report said.
It also said that an all-time high detention orders at 531 were issued under the rarely used provisions of the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (PITNDPS) Act, resulting in detention of 483 people during 2024 as compared to 93 detentions under 107 such orders during 2020.
The NCB report also spoke about the emergence of a new synthetic drug called mescaline. The emergence of this psychedelic drug signals a “shift” towards synthetic hallucinogens. About 25.04 kg of mescaline was seized by the agencies in 2024, the report said.
