Narcotics

DRI seizes 123 kg Methamphetamine in H1FY25; max cases in Assam, Mizoram

Seizures of the narcotic drug Methamphetamine have increased in the northeastern states of Assam and Mizoram in the current year, with the DRI confiscating 123 kg of the contraband during April-September. Methamphetamine, also known as 'ice' or 'crystal meth', has become a significant challenge for law enforcement agencies in India, particularly through the porous northeastern borders. According to a report by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), the smuggling trend indicates that Methamphetamine is being illegally brought into India through sea routes in the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal. For smuggling, the drug is brought to coastal hamlets like Rameswaram, Tuticorin and Nagapattinam, concealed within specially designed compartments in buses, trains, or cars. From these locations, it is smuggled across the maritime border to Sri Lanka through mid-sea transfers involving Indian fishing boats. In the first half of FY 2024-25, DRI seized 123 kg of methamphetamine in 11 cas

In a first, India to chair 68th Session of UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs

This is the first time that India has been named to Chair this important UN body

Manipur govt destroys over 19,000 acres of illegal poppy cultivation

The Manipur government has destroyed a total of 19,135.6 acres of illegal poppy cultivation in at least 12 districts since 2017, according to an official report. In Kangpokpi district, the highest of 4,454.4 acres were destroyed during the period, followed by 3,348 acres in Ukhrul and 2,713.8 acres in Churachandpur, the study Mapping and Estimation of Opium Poppy Cultivation Area using Remote Sensing and GIS Technology revealed. The exercise was conducted by the Manipur Remote Sensing Applications Centre under the Planning Department, based on data provided by the Narcotics and Affairs of Border' wing of the state police. The other districts where illegal poppy cultivation was destroyed include 2,575 acres in Tengnoupal, 1,982.5 acres in Chandel and 1,682 acres in Senapati, the report said. It showed that the area under poppy cultivation in nine districts in 2021-22 was 28,598.91 acres, which declined to 11,288.1 acres in 2023-24. Between 2023 and 2024, poppy cultivation decreas

Delhi Guv Saxena directs crackdown to make capital drug-free in 3 years

Earlier, in a bid to tackle the growing problem of drug abuse, LG Saxena announced the launch of a one-month anti-drug campaign set to begin on December 1

500 kg of crystal meth seized during India-Sri Lanka joint naval operation

Around 500 kg of crystal methamphetamine narcotics were seized from two fishing vessels in the Arabian Sea in a joint operation by the navies of India and Sri Lanka. The joint operation came after Indian Navy's long-range maritime patrol aircraft and drones carried out a surveillance mission in the critical sea lanes based on inputs from the Sri Lankan Navy, officials said. The narcotics were seized on November 25, they added. The two boats, along with the crew and seized narcotics, are being handed over to Sri Lankan authorities for further legal action, the Indian Navy said on Friday. The Indian Navy's Gurugram-based Information Fusion Centre (IFC) that has emerged as a key hub in tracking movements of ships and other developments in the Indian Ocean region also provided certain details for the operation, the officials said. "Based on information received from the Sri Lankan Navy regarding probable narcotics smuggling by Sri Lankan flagged fishing vessels in the Arabian Sea, the

Significant success achieved against terrorism, insurgency, narcotics: Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said significant success has been achieved in the past 10 years against terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, left-wing extremism, insurgency in the northeast and narcotics, the four major challenges before the country. He credited the "firms" policies of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre for the success. Left-wing extremism will be eradicated completely by March 31, 2026, Shah asserted while addressing the valedictory function of the 99th foundation course at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Mussoorie. "Terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, Left Wing Extremism, insurgency in the northeast and narcotics are the four major challenges before the country. Due to the firm policies of the Modi government, significant success has been achieved in all four areas over the past 10 years," he said. The Union home minister also said the implementation of the three new criminal laws through the use of technology, replacing the

Man arrested for illegally cultivating cannabis in his Greater Noida house

Initial report shows Liam Payne had cocaine in his system when he died

An initial toxicology report for ex-One Direction singer Liam Payne, who died last week after falling from a third-floor hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, showed that he had cocaine in his system after his death, an Argentine official said. The final toxicology results are not expected to be made public for some weeks. But the preliminary toxicology report of the wildly famous boy band star, handed to local prosecutors on Monday, suggested evidence of exposure to cocaine, the official said, stressing that these initial results don't offer an accurate reading of just how much was circulating in his blood when he died. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief journalists. The preliminary report was widely reported in local media on Monday. Argentina's public prosecution is investigating the case which is not uncommon when a death is sudden or unexpected. Payne's autopsy concluded that the traumatic injuries that caused his death were consisten

Delhi-Gujarat haul: Drugs brought from S America, purified in Ankleshwar

Amid a series of drug busts in Delhi and Gujarat, police here on Monday said that around 1,300 kg of narcotics was brought from countries in South America to a pharmaceutical company in Gujarat for purification before being supplied to the national capital. According to officials 1,289 kg of cocaine and 40 kg of hydroponic marijuana, worth more than Rs 13,000 crore, have been recovered from Delhi and Gujarat so far. The latest haul came on Sunday when a joint operation of Delhi and Gujarat Police seized at least 518 kilograms of cocaine worth around Rs 5000 crore from Gujarat's Ankleshwar, and arrested five people. The officials said the new seizure was connected to the recovery of 700 kilograms of cocaine in Delhi. A day after the latest recovery of cocaine from Avkar Drugs Limited Company in Gujarat's Ankleshwar, Delhi Police on Monday said the consignment was refined there by mixing chemical before being sent to Delhi. Of the five who were arrested from Gujarat, three -- Vijay

Narco violence leaves 200 dead, 234 missing in Mexican state in grim month

An analysis of hundreds of statements from the state prosecutor's office, the Interior Ministry and local press by Revista Espejo show the deadly tally of the clashes between two criminal groups

MP drug haul: Accused shoots himself to evade questioning, surrenders later

An accused in the mega mephedrone drug seizure in Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh allegedly shot himself in the foot to escape tough police grilling and then surrendered in Mandsaur, an official has said. The Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad and the Narcotics Control Bureau on October 5 seized 907.09 kg of mephedrone and raw materials to make the drug worth Rs 1,814 crore from a factory in Bagroda in Bhopal. Premsukh Patidar alias farzi doctor' (phony doctor) was on the run after the drug haul. He surrendered at Afzalpur police station here with a gunshot wound in his left thigh inflicted with a country-made pistol. He is the fourth person to be arrested in the case, Mandsaur Superintendent of Police Abhishek Anand told PTI on Friday. A weapon was seized from Patidar, who has been admitted to the district hospital. The pistol seems to be illegal. Patidar wounded himself in a bid to avoid tough police grilling," the SP said. Patisar is allegedly the partner of another accused in the case, Hari

Giving anticipatory bail in NDPS Act case 'very serious' issue: SC

Granting anticipatory bail in a case registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act is a "very serious" issue and "unheard of", the Supreme Court said on Thursday. A bench headed by Justice B R Gavai and also comprising Justices Aravind Kumar and K V Viswanathan was hearing a plea filed by an accused seeking regular bail in a case lodged for alleged offences under provisions of the NDPS Act in West Bengal. The bench directed the West Bengal government to consider whether the state proposes to file an application seeking cancellation of anticipatory bail granted to four accused in a case. It issued notice to the state of West Bengal on the accused's bail plea and posted it for hearing after four weeks. The petitioner's counsel told the bench that four of the six accused in the case were granted pre-arrest bail while one of them was on regular bail. "In NDPS matter, anticipatory bail?" the bench wondered. "In NDPS matter, anticipatory bail is unheard of,"

Govt will give special grants to villages with drug-free status: Punjab CM

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann Wednesday said his government will give special grants to the villages that attain the drug-free status, as he inaugurated a new office for the state's apex anti-drug unit. Speaking after inaugurating the new office of the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) in Mohali, the chief minister said his government is committed to make Punjab a drug-free state. "The state government will give special grants to the drug-free villages across Punjab," he said. These grants will be used for the promotion of sports and sporting infrastructure in villages, helping channelise the unbounded energy of the youth in a positive direction, he said. Already players from Punjab have brought laurels for the country in events like the Olympics, he said, adding youths from the state will bag more medals. On the occasion, he also launched anti-drug Helpline and WhatsApp Chatbot (9779100200), according to an official statement. Speaking after inspecting the newly constructed

Responsibility of all to make country narcotics, drug free: Amit Shah

He also pointed out that the trend of drug trafficking is changing now in the country

Five policemen among six J-K officials sacked for 'narco-terror links'

J-K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha invoked Article 311 (2) (c) of the Constitution to terminate them

PM Modi urges nationwide use of MANAS Helpline in fight against drugs

PM Modi said, In Mann ki Baat, I have often discussed the challenges of drugs. Every family worries that their child might be exposed to drugs.

HM Shah chairs NCORD meeting, launches National Narcotics Helpline 'MANAS'

MANAS will have a toll-free number 1933, a web portal, a mobile app, and a UMANG app so that citizens of the country can anonymously connect

DRI seizes contraband worth Rs 3,500 cr in FY24, drugs major contributor

Revenue Intelligence officers have seized contrabands worth Rs 3,500 crore in 2023-24 fiscal, with narcotic drugs and gold seizures constituting a major chunk, a top official said on Thursday. Directorate of Revenue Intelligence Principal DG Mohan Kumar Singh said infiltration of supply chains has emerged as a significant challenge in curbing smuggling. Also, growing use of air passenger, courier and postal cargo for smuggling of drugs and other contrabands remains a concern. "In FY 2023-24, DRI detected 623 smuggling cases, almost an average of 2 cases per day, with seizure of contrabands of Rs 3,500 crore. The seizure of narcotics drugs and psychotropic substances constitute a major part of it, followed by seizure of gold," Singh said at a Ficci seminar on global challenges of illicit trade and way forward. According to sources, DRI has seized 1,658 kg of gold in 2023-24 fiscal, about 35 per cent more compared to a year ago. Singh said during the fiscal, DRI has also kept a watc

INS Talwar seizes 940 kgs of narcotics in operation Crimson Barracuda

This successful interdiction underscores the relentless commitment of the Indian Navy as a key partner within the CMF framework to combat the menace of drug trafficking

Coast Guard apprehends Pak boat with narcotics worth Rs 480 crore

In a sea-air coordinated operation, narcotics worth Rs 480 crore were seized from a Pakistani boat with six crew in the Arabian Sea near Porbandar by a multi-agency team led by the Indian Coast Guard, the defence ministry said on Tuesday. The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) coordinated with the Coast Guard in the operation in the intervening nights of March 11 and 12, it said. The Indian Coast Guard (ICG), based on intelligence inputs, apprehended a Pakistani boat with six crew members and narcotics onboard, the ministry said in a statement. "The boat was apprehended about 350 km from Porbandar into Arabian Sea in a sea-air coordinated operation involving Indian Coast Guard ships and Dornier aircraft," it said. The ministry said the operation exhibited well-coordinated efforts between ICG, NCB and ATS Gujarat. It said the Indian Coast Guard, on specific intelligence input from agencies, strategically positioned its ships in the Arabian Sea on