Dismantling drug cartels is not an easy task, but nothing is impossible with firm resolve towards the goal.
During a recent meeting with the Union home minister Amit Shah, I took the opportunity to commend his administration’s decisive efforts in pushing Naxalism to the brink of eradication, a landmark achievement that stands as a testament to what resolute leadership can accomplish. I urged him to channel that same unwavering resolve towards dismantling the drug cartels that continue to plague the nation. While the challenge is formidable, his track record leaves little doubt about his capacity to rise to it. He responded with quiet confidence and a pleasant smile, “Just wait and watch. Drug cartels will soon find no safe haven left. There is absolutely no room for them in this country.”
There has always been a sense of confidence regarding Amit Shah, but the way he has pushed Naxalism to the brink of extinction has made everyone admire his determination, courage and single-minded focus on his objective. When he announced that Naxalism would be eliminated by March 2026, many doubted whether the 55-year-old blood-soaked insurgency -- one that had claimed the lives of countless leaders, police officers and influential figures -- could truly be ended so quickly. But Amit Shah was resolute: Once the goal had been set, it would be achieved. In fact, long before making the announcement, strategic planning had been underway in coordination with the states concerned. The preparation was leak-proof. The objective was clear. Capable officers had been deployed. No shortage of resources was allowed. For those who had strayed, there was a compassionate outreach; for those who persisted in extremism, there were guns blazing fire. That is the hallmark of effective leadership.
Now, undoubtedly, it is the turn of the drug traffickers. Intensive strategic efforts are already underway at the Central level. The general perception is that Amit Shah is a leader who believes more in results than in announcements. By the time limited information becomes public, substantial groundwork has already been completed. I was recently in Goa, where I spoke with chief minister Pramod Sawant and later with Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, along with senior police officials from both states. I learned how intensive preparations are being carried out against drug cartels. Few people may recall that on August 15, 2020, the Central government announced the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (drug-free India campaign). This was not a sudden announcement. Prior to that, a survey was conducted in 2018 and its report was released in 2019. The findings were startling. It revealed that 16 crore people consume alcohol, of whom more than 5.7 crore are in serious condition.
Cannabis ranks second, with approximately 3.1 crore users, and around 25 lakh suffering from severe addiction. About 2.26 crore people consume opium, of whom 77 lakh are in serious condition. Nearly 8.5 lakh people inject narcotic drugs intravenously. States such as Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Delhi, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have particularly high numbers of such cases. Moreover, there is a significant number of people who engage in inhalant abuse. Based on this report, a comprehensive plan was formulated and action began to tighten the noose around drug traffickers.
You may recall that in September last year, at the second national conference of the National Narcotics Task Force, Amit Shah presented a very clear outline. He told the task force that drug cartels operating in India function in three tiers. The first tier is based abroad and sends drugs across the border into India. The second operates within the country and distributes drugs to different states. The third functions at the local level, delivering small packets of drugs to street corners and marketplaces. All three cartels, he emphasised, must be struck simultaneously and with full force. That strike is indeed underway with full intensity. Our intelligence agencies are performing exceptionally well. You may be surprised to learn that around 16,000 drug traffickers are currently lodged in Indian prisons.
These traffickers come from countries such as Bangladesh, Philippines, Ghana, Myanmar, Malaysia and Nigeria. The process of deporting them has begun. Extradition proceedings are also underway for traffickers operating from foreign soil.
However, the most significant campaign is aimed at ensuring that drugs do not enter India through its borders at all. Certainly, this is not easy as drug cartels possess a deeply entrenched and sophisticated network. The narcotics trade involves enormous sums of money, which are used not only for inducements but also for intimidation and even murder. From the borders of Punjab and Rajasthan to the maritime boundary of Gujarat, drug traffickers are reportedly being assisted by the Pakistani Army and its intelligence agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
Traffickers are even being provided drones to transport drugs. Another major route is Gujarat’s coastline. Particularly in the case of heroin, several instances have emerged where narcotics were smuggled hidden inside shipping containers. Five years back, heroin worth Rs 21,000 crore concealed in a container was seized at Mundra Port in Gujarat. Apart from this, drugs are being smuggled into Bihar and Uttar Pradesh through Nepal, and into the northeastern states of India through Myanmar and Bangladesh. All these traffickers are interconnected. Drug cartels spanning Mexico, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Thailand, as well as the Philippines, Nepal, Myanmar, Nigeria and Ghana are essentially cut from the same cloth. They use one another’s networks extensively. In such circumstances, the battle is undoubtedly massive. Yet one must have faith in the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the resolve of Amit Shah. Just as India has prevailed in the fight against Naxalism, we will also succeed in dismantling the drug cartels. Amit Shah ji, the nation stands with you. I would like to add one more point: In this fight against drugs, our youths, our teachers and our social workers can play the most crucial role. Law enforcement agencies will carry out the operations, but these groups can serve as vital sources of intelligence. I am saying this because the network of drug traffickers has spread across villages and our youths are their primary targets.The author is the chairman, Editorial Board of Lokmat Media and former member of Rajya Sabha.