Rajasthan To Launch Narcotics Control Vision 2026-29 As State Intensifies Crackdown On Drug Trafficking Networks

India: Rajasthan is set to roll out a Narcotics Control Vision 2026-29 to step up the fight against drug trafficking and abuse, with the proposed strategy focusing on enforcement, intelligence-led operations, precursor and synthetic drug control, demand and harm reduction, and capacity building and inter-agency coordination.

The draft vision was discussed at a recent meeting chaired by Chief Secretary V. Srinivas, who directed officials to ensure coordinated and effective action against narcotic substances across the state.

Chief Secretary Calls For Coordinated Action

“Ensure coordinated and effective action to combat the threat of narcotic substances in the state,” Srinivas said, while directing officials to strengthen scientific and forensic investigation in narcotics-related cases and improve coordination and information-sharing among concerned departments.

Officials told the meeting that Rajasthan has witnessed a significant rise in seizures of narcotic substances, including opium, doda poppy straw, and MD, and currently ranks first in the country in seizures of these substances.

Anti-Narcotics Task Force Steps Up Crackdown

The state’s Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) has so far seized narcotic substances valued at around Rs 730 crore and arrested 93 alleged drug kingpins, officials said. The task force has also busted 34 MD manufacturing units, with the seized drugs subsequently destroyed.

Enforcement agencies have registered 5,626 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act against people allegedly involved in drug trafficking and sales.The scale of the crackdown is also reflected in recent National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data presented in the Lok Sabha. Rajasthan recorded the country’s highest quantity of narcotics seized by weight for two consecutive years—242,769.22 kg in 2023 and 205,244.96 kg in 2024.

The total quantity seized in the state over the two years stood at 448,014.18 kg, placing Rajasthan well ahead of Odisha, which ranked second.

The recent reports suggest that the international border of Rajasthan is being used for drug smuggling, as the state shares a long international border with Pakistan.

The districts of Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bikaner, Anupgarh, and Sri Ganganagar, which share the international border or lie in the border belt, have witnessed increasing attempts to smuggle narcotics using low-flying drones. Drug seizures in these border districts rose by around 45% between 2022 and 2024, highlighting the growing challenge posed by cross-border trafficking networks and the use of drones to bypass conventional surveillance.

The proposed Narcotics Control Vision 2026-29 is expected to provide a coordinated framework for tackling both the supply and demand sides of the drug problem, with a particular emphasis on synthetic drugs, precursor chemicals, intelligence sharing, forensic capabilities, and monitoring of enforcement measures.