Question : Drug Trafficking Cases

(a) the number of cases registered for drug trafficking in the country during the last four years along with the percentage of Indian nationals and foreign nationals involved in the said cases;

(b) the number of persons apprehended in this connection and the quantum of drugs seized during each of the last four years, border-wise;

(c) whether all international borders are considered as the highest gateways for smuggling drugs into the country;

(d) if so, the details thereof; and

(e) the measures adopted by the Government to curb drug smuggling in the country?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS
(SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)


(a): As per information available with Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), 27231, 31535, 47344 and 49450 cases were registered by various drug law enforcement agencies in the country for drug trafficking during 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 respectively. 99.37% of the persons arrested (187696) during the above period were Indian nationals.

(b): Data with respect to seizures at the borders is not maintained separately. However, details of persons apprehended and the quantum of drugs seized in


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states which have land/maritime borders during the last four years is enclosed as annexure-‘I’ & ‘II’.

(c) & (d): The borders in proximity with the major illicit opiate and methamphetamine production regions of the world viz. ‘Golden Crescent’ (Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan) and ‘Golden Triangle’ (Myanmar, Laos and Thailand) are vulnerable to drug trafficking.

(e): Government of India has undertaken the following steps to curb the drug smuggling in the country:

• Coordination and sharing of intelligence by NCB with various Law Enforcement Agencies of Centre and States
• Intensive preventive and interdiction efforts along known drug routes
• Strict surveillance and enforcement at import and export points at land and maritime borders
• India has signed Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) on drug related matters with 14 countries and Bilateral Agreement with 25 Countries
• Border Security Force (BSF), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Coast Guard have been empowered under Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic (NDPS) Act 1985
• Destruction of Illicit Cultivation of Opium Poppy and Cannabis with the support of Satellite imagery
• Financial assistance to States for strengthening their anti narcotics units

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