4,626 kg ATS, 2,652 kg Heroin Seized Between 2021-25: Centre
Government unveils anti-narcotics strategy, strengthens border surveillance to curb cross-border drug trafficking
- Centre says 4,626 kg ATS and 2,652 kg heroin seized during 2021-2025.
- Northeast remains vulnerable due to porous Indo-Myanmar border and proximity to the Golden Triangle.
- Government launches Vision Document on Narcotics Control 2026-29.
- New NCB zonal offices, anti-drone systems and surveillance measures approved.
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 29th July: The Centre on Wednesday informed the Rajya Sabha that 4,626 kg of Amphetamine Type Stimulants (ATS) and 2,652 kg of heroin were seized across the country between 2021 and 2025, as it intensified efforts to combat cross-border narcotics trafficking, particularly in the North Eastern region.
Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai, in a written reply, said the northeastern states remain particularly vulnerable to transnational trafficking because of their proximity to the Golden Triangle and porous borders with Myanmar.
The government said trafficking syndicates continue to exploit the Free Movement Regime (FMR), forest routes and unfenced stretches along the Indo-Myanmar border while increasingly using legitimate cargo, passenger vehicles, courier services, parcel networks, social media platforms and encrypted communication applications to transport narcotics. The Moreh-Tamu border remains a major transit point for heroin and methamphetamine originating from Myanmar.
To strengthen enforcement, the Centre has launched the Vision Document on Narcotics Control (2026-2029) with four key focus areas—enforcement, precursor and synthetic drug control, demand and harm reduction, and capacity building and coordination.
The Ministry also highlighted the functioning of the four-tier Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD) mechanism, regular Joint Coordination Committee meetings, Anti-Narcotics Task Forces in all States and Union Territories, and coordinated operations by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) with the Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard, Border Security Force and state agencies.
To improve intelligence sharing and operational capability, the government has established NCB zonal units in key border areas and approved six new zonal offices, including four in the Northeast at Dimapur, Aizawl, Shillong and Gangtok. Advanced anti-drone systems, CCTV surveillance, night vision devices, improved border fencing and floodlighting are also being deployed along vulnerable stretches.
The government noted that while heroin trafficking continues, there has been a significant rise in the smuggling of methamphetamine (Crystal Meth/YABA) from Myanmar through Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland, indicating a shift towards synthetic drugs. It also flagged reports of precursor chemicals being smuggled into Myanmar for the illicit manufacture of synthetic narcotics.
The Ministry said the measures are aimed at strengthening border security, enhancing inter-agency coordination and curbing the evolving methods adopted by transnational drug trafficking networks.
