In recent times, the Indian Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) threw the gauntlet down on drug smuggling rings with the initiation of Operation ‘Gear Box’. This operation targeted and successfully seized a massive haul of heroin from Kolkata port. The seizure, subject to the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, aimed to staunch the flow of drugs into the country, effectively targeting the growing problem of drug abuse in India.
The Intricacies of Operation Gear Box
Operation Gear Box was designed primarily to identify and seize narcotics concealed in gearboxes. With a keen eye, the DRI discovered that drug peddling syndicates were hiding plastic packets of narcotics inside old, scrapped gearboxes. These packets were carefully placed within a cavity created after removing the gears, and the gearboxes were then reassembled to avoid suspicion or detection. The novel modus operandi was used to smuggle heroin into the country.
The Extent of Drug Addiction in India
India is witnessing a rapid rise in drug addiction, particularly amongst its youth. The country’s geographical position, sandwiched between two of the world’s largest opium-producing regions—the Golden Triangle (Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Laos) and the Golden Crescent (Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran)—places it at high risk.
The World Drug Report 2022 flagged India as a significant opiate market due to its large population of users. The National Crime Records Bureau’s Crime in India 2020 report noted 59,806 cases lodged under NDPS Act. A collaborative study by the Social Justice Ministry and All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in 2019 revealed about 3.1 crore cannabis users and 2.3 crore opioid users in the country.
Initiatives Taken to Combat Drug Abuse
The Indian government has rolled out several initiatives to combat this menace, including the Seizure Information Management System, National Drug Abuse Survey, NDPS Act,1985 and the Nasha Mukt Bharat campaign.
India’s Participation in International Treaties and Conventions
India contributes globally to the fight against drug trafficking and abuse by being a signatory to various international treaties and conventions. These include the United Nations (UN) Convention on Narcotic Drugs (1961), UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances (1971), UN Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (1988), and the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) 2000.
The Threat Posed by Drug Trafficking on Internal Security
The proximity of India to major illicit opium-growing states raises serious internal security concerns. Drug trafficking often intertwines with other criminal activities such as gun-running, money laundering, and human trafficking, enhancing the overall threat level. Proactive countermeasures are critical to prevent these nefarious activities from threatening national security.
As per previous discussions held during the UPSC Civil Services Examination, there is an urgent need for comprehensive strategies and solutions to address this problem. These issues presented in this article offer a lens through which we can understand the local and global complexities of drug trafficking and abuse, and explore potential solutions to alleviate the menace.
