‘India confiscated over 2 mn kg of drugs in 2022’

New Delhi: India’s crackdown on drug peddling and abuse intensified in recent years, with over 2 million kg of narcotic drugs seized in 2022 alone, according to data placed in the Lok Sabha by Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai.

The 2022 haul brings the total narcotics seized between 2018 and 2022 to 8.7 million kg, reflecting a significant boost in enforcement under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

According to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, drug seizures and related cases have risen sharply. In 2022, authorities registered 1,15,236 cases of possession and trafficking—nearly double the 63,137 cases recorded in 2018.

The top five states with the highest cases were Kerala, Maharashtra, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu, with Kerala alone accounting for over 26,000 cases.

Between 2020 and May 2025, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) booked 116 high-profile cases, seizing over 1.09 lakh kg of narcotics.

The NCB not only targeted traffickers and couriers but also conducted financial investigations to dismantle drug syndicates, invoking provisions of the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1988 for repeat offenders.

Alongside enforcement, the government has adopted a multi-pronged approach to curb both supply and

demand. A 2019 national survey by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment revealed 29 million adult cannabis users and 19 million opioid users, underscoring the scale of the problem.

To counter this, the government launched nationwide awareness and rehabilitation drives like the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, which has reached over 16 crore people, including 5 crore youths and 3 crore women.

More than 750 rehabilitation centres have been supported across the country, while helplines 14446 and 1933 have been set up for

assistance.