In 2022, NCB struck big in Delhi: 113 arrests; drugs worth Rs 940 cr seized

By Shekhar Singh
New Delhi, April 2 The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in the Delhi zone arrested 113 people, including 36 foreign nationals, in various drug abuse and smuggling cases reported throughout 2022.

According to official data accessed by , the NCB registered 85 cases in 2022 and seized nearly 200 kg of contraband, with a total worth of approximately Rs 940 crore.

A senior NCB official revealed that a joint survey conducted by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and AIIMS found that drug abuse is more prevalent in Delhi-NCR than the national average.

The official stated that state police forces lodge 97 per cent of the 55,000 FIRs registered annually under the NDPS Act.

In contrast, only 1 per cent is registered by NCB, but the NCB is at the top of the tier, with around 65-70 per cent of the cases it registers resulting in conviction.

Among the seized drugs, heroin was the most addictive at 117.007 kg, followed by cocaine at 14.5 kg, opium at 13.505 kg, and 303 gm of ecstasy (MDMA), also known as the party pill.

Additionally, 1.1 kg of methaqualone, 13.2 kg of pseudoephedrine, 12.2 kg of amphetamine, and 820.7 gm of methamphetamine were seized by the NCB.

Moreover, the NCB confiscated over 2 lakh tablets of pharmaceutical drugs and 3.6 kg of other psychotropic substances.

Senior NCB officials revealed that synthetic drugs, including MDMA, are now becoming more prevalent in the Delhi-NCR area.

"Criminals have introduced these drugs among drug users, leading to their increased use. Moreover, some areas in Delhi and nearby satellite towns, such as Dwarka and Greater Noida, have become hotspots for both narcotics consumption and smuggling," said the official.

The NCB had on March 24 destroyed 9,300 kg of seized drugs worth Rs 1,235 crore at different locations across the country.

In a major victory against drugs trafficking, Indian authorities made the largest single seizure in the world in 2021 at the Mundra Port in Gujarat. The authorities seized a massive 2,988 kg of Afghan heroin worth an estimated Rs 21,000 crore.

The World Drug Report 2022 prepared by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has cited India as one of the world's largest opiate markets. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), as many as 345 foreign nationals were arrested for drug-related crimes in 2021.

While the sea is often exploited as the biggest route for drugs trade, smaller consignments are also being seized at airports, railway and bus stations.

The prevalence of drug seizures at airports, railway and bus stations points to a widespread distribution system, especially in the post-pandemic era. Moreover, the use of darknet and cryptocurrency to procure drugs is adding an additional layer of anonymity to the illicit drugs trade.