Smuggling in India Report 2023-24: Key narcotics hubs and narco-trafficking routes in and around the country

Owing to its geographical location, India has been at the centre of several narcotics trafficking routes over the decades and its vast boundaries have often made it difficult for the enforcement agencies to track down the abusers of psychotropic substances.

A recent report titled Smuggling in India 2024 released by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), has highlighted how the drug smuggling hubs and routes have evolved along with the global narcotics trade.

The report also mentions that 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.

Here are the major narcotics hubs and narco-trafficking routes in and around the country.

The Death Crescent

This region, comprising Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan, is a primary source of heroin trafficked into India. This heroin is routed to India mainly through African and Gulf regions, in addition to traditional routes through India-Pakistan border and maritime routes.

Maritime Routes

The vast coastline of India presents opportunities for drug traffickers to use maritime routes. Cases of drugs being smuggled through concealment in shipping containers and fishing vessels have been noticed.

The Death Triangle

This area, encompassing Myanmar, Laos and Thailand, is a significant source of synthetic drugs and heroin. Drugs from this region often enter India through the northeastern states, where difficult terrain, and porous borders makes trafficking easier at multiple entry points.

Remote forest areas and rivers in the Indo-Myanmar borders provide the smugglers and trackers with covert routes to avoid detection.

The DRI said that key sectors like Moreh and Churachandpur in Manipur and Zokhawthar in Mizoram are highly vulnerable.

Air Routes

Drug trafficking through air route has also become a potent method for smugglers due to the speed and increasing volume of international air traffic. Drugs are often concealed in luggage, courier packages or ingested by the carriers (known as "mules").

(With PTI inputs)