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Drug Trafficking: A Growing Problem for India

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DOI: 10.55141/AJFS.2022.000112

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Review Article

Asian Journal of Forensic Sciences

Drug Trafficking: A Growing Problem for India 2022, Vol. 1 (1) 34-41
DOI: 10.55141/AJFS.2022.000112
Received 25 October 2021; Received
in revised form 10 December 2021;
Accepted 12 December 2021
Ketan Patil1, Astha Pandey1,*

Abstract
Drug trafficking is the worldwide practice of distributing drugs and other substances which are legally banned under narcotics and
associated laws. It includes the cultivation, manufacture, distribution, and sale of controlled substances. In India, the use of drugs in
society especially among the younger generation has increased in the past decade and continuous to increase. This has direct and
hidden effects on the future growth of the country. This paper discusses the problem of drug trafficking in India, their entry inside the
country through the country’s border and the various drugs which are seized in the country. It also discussed on how the investigation
of drug-related cases can be improved by implementing different approaches to reduce the illegal trade of drugs.

Keywords:
Forensic Science, Drugs, Narcotics, Investigation, Drug Trafficking

Introduction
Crime is any act committed against the law which is harmful for of drug trafficking in India with reference to various types of
the society and the individuals living in it which often become a drugs i.e. narcotics and psychotropic substances, synthetic
major issue for the whole world [1]. Crimes that are planned by drugs, new psychoactive substances, etc. is discussed along
a structured group with aim of obtaining financial or similar with the investigation of drug-related crimes and different ways
benefits comes under the category of organized crimes whereas of their prevention.
unplanned and unsystematic crimes are classified as
disorganized crimes. In different countries large groups of Drug Trafficking
people are involved in various criminal activities including the According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime,
illegal business of firearms, illicit drug trafficking, human “Drug trafficking is a global illicit trade involving the cultivation,
trafficking, fake currency, smuggling of protected plant species manufacture, distribution, and sale of substances which are
like sandalwood, animal trafficking, financial frauds, and so on. subjected to drug prohibition laws”[4]. Drug categories include
These are all organized crimes which have become a separate a variety of drugs, in which cannabis is the most extensively
illegal industry and groups of people doing these activities are used drug all over the world [5] Cocaine, opiates, and
referred to as gangs, mafias, or syndicate [2]. Such organized amphetamine-type substances or ATS are the next most
crimes are also called transnational crimes which are nothing demanded and trafficked drugs [6].
but the crimes which violates laws of different countries while
executions. Compare to other forms of organized crimes drug 1School of Forensic Science, National Forensic Sciences University,
trafficking is dramatically increasing and becoming a leading Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India
market because of many reasons such as the high amount of
Corresponding Author:
liquidity in this sector generally in the form of cash, disturbing Astha Pandey, Associate Professor, School of Forensic Science, National
the economy of enemy countries, affecting the young Forensic Sciences University, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India.
generation of enemy nation, etc. [3]. In this paper, the problem Email: [email protected]

AJFS© 2022. AJFS. This is an open access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons, Attribution-NonCommercial License (CC BY-NC 4.0)
Patil & Pandey Asian Journal of Forensic Science 2022 1(1) 34-41

Other than these, there are synthetic drugs also known as constitute the Golden triangle whereas Golden Crescent includes
designer drugs which are structural and functional analogue of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran [11] (Figure-2). These are
the controlled drugs similar or more physiological and major opium-producing regions of the world and subsequently
psychological effect. These includes methadone, gamma- it share a major part of their economy with India. Due to this,
hydroxybutyric acid, mephedrone, Rohypnol, etc.[7]. Also, new the borders of the country have become the opening point for
psychoactive substances such as synthetic cathinones, drug trafficking. The border of India and Pakistan is the most
synthetic cannabinoids, N- methoxybenzyal (NBOMes) group prominent route for the illegal trafficking of heroin and charas
drugs, etc. are emerging drugs in the market which are not in India[12]. Majority of the heroin comes from Afghanistan in
controlled by the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961 or the western part of India whereas various other opiates
Convention on Psychotropic Substances, 1971. This including smaller quantities of heroin is illegally trafficked from
transnational crime has around US$ 426 billion to $ 652 billion Myanmar inside the eastern parts of India[13]. Opiates from
shares globally in 2014 [5]. According to the World drug report Afghanistan enter the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, and
2020, “ about 269 million people worldwide, which is roughly Jammu Kashmir. Majority of the trafficking business is through
5.3 percent of the global population aged 15-64 years, used land and air route in Indo-Pakistan border area but now
drugs in 2018”[8]. These drugs are cultivated and smugglers are alternatively using sea route for this purpose due
manufactured in different parts of the world, both legally and to increase in border security and presence of hideaways in
illegally. Legal production is done in limited quantities under the coastal areas. Recently around 3000 kilogram of drugs were
control of the respective government for medicinal purposes. seized at Mundra port located in Gujarat [14][15].
But huge amount of illegal drugs are produced naturally and
synthetically and distributed through various routes. This
results in the global expansion of drug market every year, which
is shown in Figure-1.

Figure 2 Golden Crescent and Golden Triangle (Source:

https://www.nationsonline.org/maps/Asia-map.jpg[16].
Figure 1- Growth and complexity of Global drug market (Source: World
Drug Report 2020) [8].
Punjab is the most affected state in the west due to these
narcotic drugs[17]. The illegal transport of drugs is carried out
According to the UN report, The use of narcotic drugs rose by
through the Malwa, Majha, and Doaba regions of the state[18].
30% in India from 2009 to 2018 which is a serious issue for
Figure-3 shows different routes of drug trafficking in Punjab.
the future of the nation[10]. India is the seventh-largest country
According to the Chief Minister Office of Punjab, “40 percent of
in the world which shares its border with seven countries among
Punjabi youth in the age group of 15 to 25 years has fallen prey
which some of them are part of the Golden Triangle and Golden
to drugs, and 48 percent of farmers and labourers are addicts”
Crescent [11]. Burma (Myanmar), Thailand, and Laos together
[18]. The majority of drugs involved are opium, tranquilizers,
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Patil & Pandey Asian Journal of Forensic Science 2022 1(1) 34-41

and pain-killers (Table-1). In 2017, Narcotics Control Bureau

(NCB) seized most of the opiates in Punjab which indicates the
seriousness of the problem (Figure-4)[13].

Figure 5-Drug trafficking in North East States from Golden Triangle (Source:
Nexus of Drug Trafficking and Militancy Exposed at New Delhi) [21].

Table1- Drugs seized by NCB in 2017 in Punjab (Source: Narcontrol, Oct-

Dec 2017) [19].
S. No. Zone Drug Seized
Figure 3-Drug trafficking to Punjab (Source: The tribune: Sea corridor new 1 Chandigarh Hashish, Opium
smuggling route) [20]. 2 Amritsar Heroin, Hashish, Opium

Here, a two way business is done i.e. narcotic drugs, mostly

opiates come to India from the above-mentioned countries
whereas some psychotropic drugs, pharmaceutical
preparations like diazepam, lorazepam, nitrazepam,
phentermine, zolpidem, etc. and precursor chemicals like
acetic anhydride, ephedrine, pseudoephedrine are illegally
exported from India to these countries [22]. Ephedrine,
pseudoephedrine, corex, buprenorphine, etc. are illegally
exported from India to Myanmar [3] whereas cough syrup, in
which codeine is the principle component, is exported from
India to Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan [12]. Similar to the
Figure 4-Pie chart showing maximum heroin seizure in Punjab (Source: western parts of India, drugs are trafficked by air, land, and
Afghan opiate trafficking through the southern route report, June 2015) sea route. Opiates trafficking from the Golden Triangle has
[13].
declined in the past years due to local production of poppy in
Opposite to the western part of India, the eastern and states like Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Jharkhand, Arunachal
northeastern states of India are also facing the problem of drug Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, etc.[12]. Also, illicit cultivation of
trafficking due to the Golden triangle and other drug-producing cannabis is done in different states of India among which the
countries as shown in Figure-5. Here, drugs are smuggled Malana cream, produced in the Valley of Malana of Himachal
mainly from Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Myanmar which Pradesh, is popular due to its hallucinogenic effects [23]
negatively affects states of Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, which has increased its demand among drug peddlers, having
Tripura, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar [12]. come to focus following a recent seizure by NCB officers in
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Patil & Pandey Asian Journal of Forensic Science 2022 1(1) 34-41

Mumbai. Table-2 shows the different types of drugs sized by Investigation and Prevention of Drug Related Crimes
NCB in the eastern and northeastern states of India. Investigation of crime is a very important and challenging task
Other than opiates and cannabis various drugs like for law enforcement agencies. If investigation done properly, it
amphetamine type substances, cocaine, benzodiazepines, becomes possible to prove the criminal guilty. In the case of
ketamine, mephedrone, etc. are also sold illegally in India. Most drug-related crimes, it becomes comparatively difficult to
foreign nationals arrested by NCB in India belong to Nepal investigate, collect the evidences, and prove the suspect guilty
followed by Nigeria and Myanmar [24]. Figure-6 given below in front of the court. Because of the transnational nature of
shows the different types of drugs and their quantity seized by organized crime, many other illegal businesses are directly or
NCB officers. indirectly connected with drug related crimes such as weapon
trafficking, human trafficking, prostitution, etc. This makes them
Table 2. Drugs seized by NCB in 2017 in east and north east states.
(Source: Narcontrol, Oct-Dec 2017) [19]. different from others having a specially organized channel which
is implemented with the help of technology such as use of
S. No. Zone Drug Seized
drones, trade trough crypto currency, use of dark web, etc. As
1 Guwahati Ganja
stated above, drug trafficking is an organized crime which
2 Imphal WY (Yaba), Heroin
means it is made of different layers within their network, each
3 Kolkata Ganja, Nitrazepam,
Methamphetamine, LSD, MDMA, one having a specific purpose. In such type of crimes, the whole
codeine based cough syrup society falls victim to them, and the drug addict becomes an
4 Bhubaneswar Ganja offender which creates difficulties to investigate such types of
5 Patna Ganja crimes.

Figure 6-Seizure of different drugs by Narcotics Control Bureau (Source: Narcontrol, Oct-Dec 2017)[19].

37
Patil & Pandey Asian Journal of Forensic Science 2022 1(1) 34-41

As described in Figure-7, the drug abuser purchases the drug from As discussed above the drugs are trafficked through land, sea, and
the dealer. He is not in direct contact with the actual source or air routes but now these mafias have become smart and use the
producer of that drug. During the investigation of drug-related internet to sell drugs which helps to improve the delivery and
crime, these dealers and traffickers came into the focus of distribution process of drugs and to keep themselves safe from
investigating officers because of their active participation in drug law enforcement agencies such as NCB in India [27]. Improvement
trafficking at the ground level. But it becomes difficult to break the includes sending messages in the form of encrypted data, using
whole network or to catch the main source which invests money electronic payment platform to receive payments from fake
and supplies the drug to their subordinates. Narcotics Control accounts, etc. Some terrorist groups use such funds for digital
Bureau (NCB) is the apex government agency of India which attacks against different law enforcement agencies [28]. In India,
investigates drug-related crimes in coordination with states the darknet is becoming a popular platform among drug dealers.
government and other institutions [25]. In border areas, various Many drugs are sold through this secret platform which is generally
police forces such as Border Security Force, Indo-Tibetan Border used for various illegal activities such as sharing pornographic
Police, Assam Rifles and Sashastra Seema Bal keep watch on content, dealing of drugs and pharmaceuticals, dealing of
cross-border activities of which the smuggling of drugs is a part of unlicensed firearms, forged documents, etc. using hidden paths of
them. But due to the use of advanced technology such as trading the onion router [29]. (Onion router is used for illegal activities).
over darknet in such illegal businesses traditional investigation Drug traffickers also use electronic pockets to store information
techniques followed by these agencies fall insufficient to stop these related to drugs, use surrogates at airports, use cloned mobile
crimes [26]. This results in a lack of evidence that helps the phones, etc.[13]. The misuse of darknet and other advanced
criminal to escape from the court. technologies for drug trafficking has been discussed by India in the
BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) meet which
was held on August 19, 2020, and chaired by Russia. As shown in
Figure-8 which explains the pending of NDPS cases [30].
Prevention of such crimes and improvement of investigation is
done using different ways which are briefly explained in the Figure-
9.

Figure 7-Systematic operation of drug trafficking (Source: Dept. of

Special Investigation, Thailand)

Figure 8 Disposal of cases under NDPS Act by police (Source: https://factly.in/data-pendency-of-ndps-cases-at-the-police-increases-in-

metro-cities/)[30].
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Patil & Pandey Asian Journal of Forensic Science 2022 1(1) 34-41

Figure 9-Prevention of drug related crimes by improvement in investigation of drug related crime.

Simultaneously it is also important to increase awareness about during drug investigation, implementing better cross border
drugs in the societies where a major portion of the population operation protocols, etc. It is also important for the government to
is badly affected by drug addiction, especially in cross border take initiative for undertaking covert operations to break the
areas. Different drug rehabilitation programs should be run networks of smuggling of drugs. More powers should be given to
such as DDAP i.e. Drug De-addiction Program, which was a enforcement agencies involved in the investigation of drug-related
good initiative taken by the Indian government in 1985-1986 crimes. More focus should be given to the states which share
primarily focusing on the reduction of drug demand [31]. To border with other countries, or which are located close to drug-
resolve the problem of drug trafficking in India, it is necessary producing countries especially the Golden Triangle and the Golden
Crescent. Among them, Punjab and northeastern states are facing
to adapt a two-way work approach i.e. invention and application
more problems thereby requiring more attention to combat the
of new technologies and; reducing drug use in society by
problem of drug trafficking in these states.
creating awareness which will help to make India a drug-free
country in the future.
Financial support and sponsorship
Conclusion Nil.
This paper has explained the problem of drug trafficking in India
and the different factors which are responsible for it. The market Conflict of Interest
for drugs is expanding every year and it adversely affects the The authors declare that there is no conflict of interests.
society in different ways. The Border States and cities of India are
facing this issue more aggressively. Drug trafficking can be References
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Patil & Pandey Asian Journal of Forensic Science 2022 1(1) 34-41

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