War On Drugs: India Seizes Record ₹836 Crore Assets, Arrests 1.83 Lakh In 2025

Mumbai: Statistics provided by the central government have revealed that Drug law enforcement agencies (DLEAs) achieved a massive surge in financial crackdowns and syndicate disruptions during 2025.

The statistics reveal an aggressive shift toward targeting the economic lifelines of drug cartels. In 2025, DLEAs froze or seized property in a record 1,356 cases, marking a sharp rise from 1,053 cases in 2024 and more than doubling the 587 cases recorded in 2023.

The total value of these seized movable and immovable assets skyrocketed to Rs 836 crore in 2025. This reflects a substantial increase from Rs 666 crore in 2024 and Rs 276 crore in 2023, signaling a highly effective "follow-the-money" approach by investigators.

Enforcement actions led to a significant high in apprehensions. A total of 1,83,675 arrests were executed in 2025, representing a massive 50% spike compared to the 1,22,224 arrests documented in 2024. This wave of legal action was supported by a parallel rise in registered cases, which climbed to 1,48,063 in 2025 from 96,930 the previous year.

Authorities also clamped down hard on habitual offenders using preventive measures. Under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (PITNDPS) Act, detention orders jumped to 810 in 2025, up from 531 in 2024 and 450 in 2023.

While arrests and asset forfeitures peaked, the raw volume of physical drug contraband intercepted showed a downward trend. Total seizures fell to 12,40,984 kg in 2025, down from 13,30,600 kg in 2024 and 13,89,725 kg in 2023.

Seizure of drugs, Cases and Arrests by all DLEAs: