Punjab Drug Crisis, Causes, Challenges And Government Measures

Source: Indian Express
GS I: Indian Society, GS II: Governance, GS III: Internal Security

Why in the News?

Punjab’s drug crisis has resurfaced following a drug-related death in Mansa, highlighting concerns over cross-border trafficking, organized crime and the limited success of government measures.

News in Brief

• According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data cited in the article, Punjab recorded 6,060 cases of drug possession for trafficking in 2024, among the highest in India.
• Punjab reported 106 drug overdose deaths in 2024, second only to Tamil Nadu (313). It also accounted for approximately 57% of pharmaceutical drug seizures and 44% of heroin seizures mentioned in the report.
• Punjab’s 553-km border with Pakistan makes it vulnerable to cross-border drug smuggling, particularly through drone-based deliveries.
• Successive governments have adopted enforcement, de-addiction and prevention strategies, but weak implementation, organized crime and inadequate rehabilitation continue to undermine their efforts.

Historical Background of Drug use in Punjab

• Opium and poppy husk were widely consumed in pre-Independence Punjab and enjoyed a degree of social acceptance.
• According to historian Ranjit Singh Ghuman, opium was consumed in small quantities, sometimes as a medicine.
• The Royal Commission on Opium (1894) observed that opium consumption in India was relatively limited and had a long history in certain communities.
• Locally brewed alcohol, known as desi daru, was also traditionally consumed.
• After Independence, Rajasthan restricted opium cultivation, creating a ban on its sale through traditional outlets.
• A 1979 study titled Patterns and Prevalence of Opium Use in Rural Punjab (India) found that, opium consumption was widespread among rural populations despite the risks associated with procuring it from neighbouring states.

Geography and Cross-Border Drug Trafficking

• Punjab’s geographical location makes it particularly vulnerable to  drug trafficking.
• Punjab shares a 553-km international border with Pakistan.
• The mountainous regions of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran form the Golden Crescent, a major global centre for heroin production and processing.
• The Golden Triangle, comprising Myanmar, Thailand and Laos, is another major drug-producing region.
• Heroin, locally known as chitta, is smuggled across the border, while opium and poppy husk also enter Punjab through Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
• Some pharmaceutical drugs are sourced from manufacturing hubs in neighbouring states.
• High-quality heroin is also suspected to reach Punjab through supply routes passing through Delhi, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Jammu and Kashmir.

Rising Availability of Pharmaceutical Drugs

• Drug Trafficking in Punjab is no longer limited to heroin and traditional narcotics.
• Pharmaceutical drugs have emerged as another major concern.
• In 2024, approximately 5.13 crore pharmaceutical drug units were seized across India.
• Punjab accounted for around 2.94 crore units, representing a substantial share of the national seizures.
• Around 25% of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act FIRs registered by Punjab Police in 2022 involved pharmaceutical drugs.
• Around 80% of these drugs reportedly enter Punjab from manufacturing hubs in Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan.
• Increased enforcement against cross-border narcotics has also highlighted the growing role of pharmaceutical substances in the drug trade.

Role of Drones in Drug Smuggling

• Drone-based smuggling has emerged as a major security challenge along the India-Pakistan border.
• Drones are increasingly used to deliver heroin, weapons and other contraband into Indian territory.
• BSF data cited in the article shows that drone-dropping incidents increased from three in 2021 to more than 200 in 2025.
• The Amritsar–Tarn Taran–Ferozepur–Gurdaspur belt has become an important operational corridor.
• The Border Security Force (BSF) has established an anti-drone intelligence wing, while Punjab Police has pursued drone-related cases.
• However, smugglers continue to exploit technological gaps and difficult border terrain.

Drug Trade as a Lucrative Business

• The profitability of drug trafficking makes it difficult to eliminate the supply chain.
• A gram of chitta reportedly fetches between ₹1,000 and ₹5,000.
• A single delivery by a drug mule can earn substantial amounts, sometimes running into lakhs.
• Unemployment, limited economic opportunities and changing social attitudes towards wealth make vulnerable youth susceptible to recruitment.
• An alleged nexus between traffickers, police personnel and political actors has further weakened enforcement.
• The 2013 arrest of Punjab Police DSP Jagdish Singh Bhola in a multi-crore drug racket exposed concerns about the involvement of individuals within the law enforcement system. He was convicted in 2019.

Women and Drug Abuse

• The drug crisis has increasingly affected women and families.
• Punjab Assembly data cited in the article shows that arrests of women under the NDPS Act increased by approximately 85% in 2022 compared with 2018.
• Women are sometimes recruited into drug trafficking networks because they may face less suspicion during transportation.
• Mothers, sisters and spouses can become involved in trafficking networks within entire families.
• Women who develop drug dependence may also turn to petty trafficking to finance their addiction.
• This highlights the need to address the gender dimensions of substance abuse through targeted prevention, counselling and rehabilitation.

Government Measures and Their Limitations

• Successive governments in Punjab have adopted different approaches to tackle drug trafficking.
• The Akali-BJP government declared a war against drugs in 2014, adopting the EDP approach (Enforcement, De-addiction and Prevention).
• The AAP government, which came to power in 2022, shifted its focus towards targeting major drug suppliers and dismantling trafficking networks rather than concentrating only on small-level carriers.
• In March 2025, it launched Yudh Nasheyan Virudh, aimed at disrupting the financial networks of drug traffickers and strengthening community participation through more than 1.5 lakh village volunteers.
• Other measures include dope tests for arms licence applicants and government recruits, stronger border surveillance and anti-drone operations.
• However, the continued availability of drugs indicates that enforcement alone cannot resolve the crisis.

Major Challenges

• Cross-border trafficking: The porous and strategically vulnerable border with Pakistan facilitates the entry of narcotics.
• Organised criminal networks: High profits and the involvement of organised groups make drug trafficking difficult to control.
• Political and institutional nexus: Allegations of links between traffickers, politicians and law enforcement personnel undermine public trust.
• Unemployment and social vulnerability: Limited livelihood opportunities and changing aspirations make young people vulnerable to drug networks.
• Pharmaceutical drug misuse: The availability of prescription drugs through illegal channels creates additional challenges for enforcement agencies.
• Technology-driven smuggling: Drones and other technological methods allow traffickers to evade conventional border surveillance.
• Weak rehabilitation mechanisms: Insufficient treatment facilities, social stigma and inadequate follow-up contribute to relapse and continued substance dependence.

Way Forward and Conclusion

Punjab needs an integrates strategy to tackle drug abuse through stronger border surveillance, intelligence-sharing and action against major trafficking networks. Strict monitoring of pharmaceutical drugs, improved police accountability and financial investigations are equally important. At the same time, accessible de-addiction facilities, counselling, skill development, employment opportunities and community awareness can address the underlying causes of substance abuse.

Ultimately, tackling the drug crisis requires moving beyond enforcement towards a balanced approach that combines prevention, rehabilitation, livelihood generation and effective law enforcement.

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