Decentralised, digital: Karnataka’s drug menace

Tech-savvy peddlers, synthetic narcotics and social pressure are fuelling the state’s drug trade, making enforcement increasingly complex.

Bengaluru: In September 2025, officers of the Central Crime Branch (CCB) apprehended a 33-year-old dental college student near Adugodi, Bengaluru. The student defied the stereotypical image of a hardened trafficker — he was educated and, by most accounts, ambitious. According to investigators, he had purchased hydro ganja and resold it at steep mark-ups, with the stated motive of funding a “luxurious life”.

Just days later, the CCB seized 1.22 kg of hydro ganja worth Rs 1 crore, delivered in a foreign package at the Foreign Post Office in KG Nagar, Bengaluru. The next day, two Nigerian nationals were arrested with 3.9 kg of MDMA crystals and 82 ecstasy pills valued at Rs 7.8 crore. They reportedly told police that they sourced the drugs cheaply and sold them at higher rates to a ready clientele. Both had entered India in 2019 on valid visas.

In another case that alarmed law enforcement, a chemical engineer from Belagavi — who had once aspired to launch a start-up — allegedly used his technical expertise and was in the process of setting up small-scale drug-processing units in Bengaluru. Investigators said he was in contact with financiers from Rajasthan and had discussed plans to manufacture synthetic narcotics for “easy money,” banking on “a large urban customer base” and “seamless transport networks” linking neighbouring states. Machinery was reportedly installed at a farmhouse in a mango grove, with chemicals stored at multiple locations. He was caught by the Maharashtra Anti-Narcotics Task Force in December 2025.

Between the college student chasing luxury and the engineer pursuing scale lies the anatomy of Karnataka’s expanding drug menace: aspirational in appeal, decentralised in structure and digitally enabled.

This new landscape has contributed to alarmingly high drug abuse in pockets of Bengaluru, Mysuru, Belagavi and Mangaluru, prompting police to confront a new generation of tech-savvy peddlers.

Mass testing could yield nearly 90% positive cases in some pockets, a senior IPS officer said.

Peddlers have found new ways to avoid detection – they carry out transactions using bike taxis and food delivery services. These methods make surveillance and tracking difficult for the law enforcement agencies.

Narcotics consumption is particularly high in paying guest accommodations and school and college hostels, the officer said. “These are vulnerable zones due to easy access,” he explained.

Narcotics users sometimes turn into peddlers. They buy drugs in bulk and resell them to recover their money and make quick profits.

Many consumers are unaware of the source of the drugs or how they reach them, and investigations show that operations are more clandestine and decentralised than before.

Recently, Home Minister G Parameshwara acknowledged the gravity of the issue in the Legislative Council, stating that the government had waged a war against the menace. “We are not claiming that it can be eliminated in a couple of months, but our efforts are honest and sustained,” he said.

The numbers underline the urgency to tackle the issue.

Between 2023 and 2025, 17,779 cases under The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) were registered across the state. Of these, 6,824 were booked in 2025 — up from 4,188 in 2024.

Enforcement has intensified, with arrests in NDPS cases peaking in 2025. That year alone, 4,757 Indian peddlers were booked and 4,416 arrested. Over three years, 11,704 Indian peddlers were accused and 10,858 arrested, reflecting a 92% arrest rate. Additionally, 247 foreign nationals were accused of peddling and 230 arrested.

Yet, the number of convictions tells a contrasting story. Of the 17,779 cases registered between 2023 and 2025, only 6,914 ended in conviction. Convictions dropped sharply — from 3,696 in 2023 to 1,886 in 2024 and just 1,332 in 2025.

A staggering 1,590 cases involve unidentified accused, suggesting persistent challenges in tracking supply chains.

Officials attribute delays to procedural lapses, forensic bottlenecks and frequent adjournments. Legal experts warn that unless investigation standards improve, the deterrent effect of enforcement will remain limited.

When users are produced before courts and let off after paying a Rs 5,000 fine, as one officer said, the impact is minimal.

At the same time, between 2023 and 2025, 56 cases were categorised as false, placing the quality of investigation under scrutiny.

The epicentre

Another statement by G Parameshwara in the Legislative Council in 2024 and observations by senior police officials indicate that Dakshina Kannada (particularly Mangaluru), Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru, Udupi, Shivamogga, Mysuru and Belagavi districts are emerging as hotbeds of drug-related offences.

Yet, the epicentre remains undeniably Bengaluru — fuelled by rising disposable incomes, a large migrant population, its status as an educational hub and global connectivity. An IPS officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said narcotics consumption is reportedly high even in Bengaluru’s paying guest accommodations and school and college hostels, describing them as “vulnerable zones due to easy access”.

While national data suggests ganja consumption is more prevalent in parts of north and central India, ganja and MDMA remain the most commonly peddled substances in Karnataka.

The state, particularly Bengaluru, is also witnessing a growing influx of high-value, chemically manufactured synthetic narcotics, indicating a troubling shift in both demand patterns and trafficking methods.

Over the last three years, while ganja made up 22,985 kg of the 24,196 kg seized, synthetic drugs (1,211 kg) contributed Rs 415 crore of the total Rs 604 crore value.

The recovery of synthetic drugs such as mephedrone and MDMA in Gujarat and Maharashtra — and their alleged links to production units in Karnataka — has raised concerns that the state could be emerging as a hub for clandestine lab operations. Recent crackdowns in Bengaluru’s Kothanur and Bagalur police station limits by Maharashtra Police and the Narcotics Control Bureau have highlighted the scale of the threat.

The message is clear: traffickers are shifting to smaller, more profitable consignments. Synthetic narcotics such as MDMA, LSD, ecstasy pills and cocaine are easier to transport in small volumes, harder to detect and more lucrative.

Tech-savvy network

Another worrying trend emerging from investigations is the user-turned-peddler phenomenon. Many consumers, especially those without steady incomes, begin buying in bulk to cover their own expenses, then sell to peers to recover their costs and make quick profits.

This blurs the line between addiction and enterprise, creating a decentralised retail network that is difficult to dismantle.

Unlike hierarchical cartels, these micro-peddlers operate within social clusters — in hostels, among friends, via Instagram handles or encrypted chats. They often know only the contact who delivers the drugs, and not their source.

Transactions are increasingly camouflaged using bike taxis and food delivery services, with drop locations shared via WhatsApp. Mule bank accounts are used to launder funds.

“Drug transactions are increasingly being coordinated through social media accounts, with payments routed via UPI and other online modes, making conventional enforcement ineffective,” said a senior officer in Bengaluru.

At a broader level, officers say drugs enter Karnataka from Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Opium and heroin reportedly arrive via Rajasthan, sometimes tracing back to Pakistan, while ganja is sourced largely from Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. These inter-state links, and the involvement of foreign nationals, add layers of complexity to investigation and enforcement.

Foreign nationals, particularly in Bengaluru, have been arrested in multiple peddling cases. Police say the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) is informed upon a first-time arrest and deportation proceedings are initiated. Repeat offenders face detention under the PIT-NDPS Act for up to a year, the same provisions that apply to Indian nationals.

Policy shift

Director General and Inspector General of Police Dr M A Saleem said that earlier, police largely refrained from booking cases against drug users, instead adopting an approach focused on de-addiction and rehabilitation. “However, in 2025, we took a much tougher stand to curb the drug menace across Karnataka. This is why more cases were registered against users. We have also intensified vigilance and action against drug peddlers,” he told DH.

He said Mysuru and Belagavi reported higher numbers of drug-related cases due to intensified area domination exercises and crackdowns. “Going forward, our focus is on making Karnataka a completely drug-free state in 2026,” Saleem added.

According to Bengaluru City Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh, the strategy to curb drug abuse is multi-layered. “Beyond awareness, we have institutionalised monitoring through monthly meetings tracking schools, colleges and foreign nationals. We are particularly vigilant about those who enter on visas but fail to report to institutions, as they are often diverted into peddling,” he said.

Every college has been directed to form an Anti-Narcotics Committee comprising the principal and student representatives, working in coordination with jurisdictional police. The police have also launched a dedicated website for awareness videos and digital pledges, supported by the 1908 and 112 helplines for reporting and rehabilitation.

The state police have launched ‘Sanmitra’ to monitor addicts while providing sustained support and rehabilitation through structured follow-up. Under the initiative, efforts are being made to transition those in need to rehabilitation centres.

Through the ‘Mane Manege Police’ project, officers are visiting homes to monitor local issues, and keeping strict vigil on condiment shops and hangout spots around campuses during peak hours to deter narcotics trade. The Anti-Narcotics Task Force has intensified door-to-door sensitisation drives and campus campaigns, including outreach through Instagram.

Police are also monitoring the coast to prevent drug smuggling through ports, with squads conducting surprise checks. “Awareness campaigns alone are not sufficient,” a senior officer said, calling for stricter surveillance, community participation and coordinated action.

QR code-based system

In Mangaluru, the police have come up with a QR code–based anonymous reporting system, which allows the public and students to discreetly report drug-related incidents. Within a week’s time in December 2025, the city police arrested 25 drug peddlers through the system.

Mangaluru Police Commissionerate has also introduced uniform guidelines and practices across all colleges within the Commissionerate limits. Accordingly, college authorities have been conducting random drug tests among students.

“Random testing was carried out in around 100 educational institutions within the Commissionerate limits recently, during which 20 students tested positive for drug consumption. Around 5,500 to 6,000 students were tested in the first phase during the testing. Students who tested positive have undergone counselling and will be tested again in the second quarter of the year,” informed Commissioner of Police Sudheer Kumar Reddy.

If 2025 was the year of crackdowns of drug-related offences, it was also the year of outreach.

Between 2023 and 2025, 68,738 awareness programmes were conducted. In 2025 alone, 32,888 programmes were held. Over 49 lakh students and 13 lakh citizens participated in these initiatives.

Digital campaigns expanded too, with social media awareness programmes rising to 8,418 in 2025. 

Until arrests translate into convictions, and rehabilitation into reintegration, Karnataka’s war on drugs risks remaining a cycle of seizures and headlines.

(With inputs from Ashwin B M and Sneha R in Bengaluru and Naina J A in Mangaluru)