Punjab, India faces one of the most severe drug trafficking and substance abuse crises in the country. According to the National Crime Records Bureau Report 2023, Punjab leads India with the highest rate of drug-smuggling cases at 25.3 cases per lakh population. What makes Punjab’s situation particularly alarming is that drug use cases stand at only 12.4 per lakh, revealing that the state functions primarily as a major trafficking hub rather than merely a consumption center. Punjab has become the prime target of drug mafia, creating a major crisis where many youngsters are caught in drug addiction, with the economy, industrial growth, agricultural development and socio-cultural heritage all being badly affected Punjab has higher number of drug smugglers than users. The state also records the highest number of drug overdose deaths in the country, underscoring the deadly consequences of this epidemic.
Younger persons have been the worst sufferers of the illicit drugs trade in Punjab, with the scourge of drugs concentrated in certain localities, clusters, and villages Drug Traffic in the Punjab | Office of Justice Programs. The bane of drug abuse in Punjab has acquired the proportions of a pestilence that has shaken the entire society in the state, with drug abuse observed as a raging epidemic, especially among youth Punjab Establishes New Force to Tackle Drug Trafficking and Usage. The crisis has evolved beyond a mere law enforcement issue into a comprehensive socio-economic catastrophe that threatens the very fabric of Punjabi society.
Historical Context and Root Causes
The drug problem in Punjab has deep-rooted historical and socio-economic origins. The growing drug problem has various causes, including militancy, poverty, lack of job opportunities, agrarian crisis and easy availability of narcotic substances. When terrorism gained ground in the state, militants attacked liquor shops and drinkers, leading people to turn to injecting drugs bought illegally Legal Labyrinths: Examining the Complexity of Drug Abuse Cases Pendency in Punjab, India. This transition from legal alcohol consumption to illegal drug use marked a significant shift in the state’s substance abuse patterns during the tumultuous period of militancy in the 1980s and 1990s.
Economic factors contributing to drug use and peddling include high unemployment, underemployment, low wages and the lure of quick money from drug peddling, while among affluent households, easy access to money is a factor. The agrarian crisis that has plagued Punjab for decades, characterised by declining agricultural productivity, mounting farmer debts, and limited alternative employment opportunities, has created a fertile ground for both drug consumption and participation in the illegal drug economy. Young people, facing bleak economic prospects and societal pressures, have become vulnerable to both addiction and recruitment into drug trafficking networks.
Geographic and Strategic Vulnerabilities
Punjab’s geographic location makes it exceptionally vulnerable to drug trafficking operations. With the ban on in-house cultivation, Punjab’s drug requirements are met by the bustling Golden Crescent route, which includes Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan. Being on the international border, Punjab enjoys a supply of illicit opium originating in this region Drug Trafficking In The Country. The state’s 550-kilometre border with Pakistan serves as the primary entry point for narcotics into India, making it a critical corridor in the international drug trade.
The demand for illicit drugs in Punjab is largely met from outside the state through a supply network controlled by local, interstate, and international drug traffickers Drug Traffic in the Punjab | Office of Justice Programs. This external supply network, combined with sophisticated smuggling methods, has made interdiction efforts particularly challenging. Recent law enforcement operations have revealed the scale and sophistication of these trafficking networks. Punjab Police busted a Pakistan-based and ISI-controlled narco-smuggling module, arresting its Indian operative and seizing 85 kg of heroin in what was described as the biggest drug seizure of 2025, with the module being operated by a UK-based drug handler Narcoticsindia.
Modern Smuggling Techniques
The methods employed by drug traffickers have evolved significantly with technological advancement. Drug smuggling from Pakistan using drones is on the rise, posing a grave threat to national security and the well-being of the nation’s youth Punjab Tops India in Drug Trafficking. Investigations have found individuals allegedly serving as masterminds of drug supply chains from Pakistan, with accused persons found to be members of drug nexus who smuggled heroin from Pakistan by using drones Punjab has higher number of drug smugglers than users. This aerial route has become increasingly popular among traffickers as it bypasses traditional border security measures and reduces the risk of interception.
Beyond drone technology, traffickers have also adapted water routes for their operations. In one of the biggest seizures of drugs, the Counter Intelligence wing of Punjab Police busted a cross-border smuggling racket by confiscating 105 kg of heroin reportedly smuggled from Pakistan along with six pistols, with the water-route being utilized by the foreign-based drug smuggler Narcotics Control Bureau. These multiple smuggling routes demonstrate the adaptability and resourcefulness of trafficking networks, which continuously evolve their methods to evade law enforcement.
The Narco-Terrorism Nexus
The drug trafficking problem in Punjab cannot be separated from concerns about national security and potential links to terrorism. In a major breakthrough against narco-terrorism, the Counter-Intelligence wing dismantled a cross-border heroin smuggling module, apprehending four key operatives with direct links to a Pakistan-based smuggler in an intelligence-led operation conducted near the Indo-Pak border in Attari Punjab close second behind Delhi in drug trafficking cases in 2024. The involvement of intelligence agencies from across the border, coordination with foreign handlers, and the systematic nature of these operations suggest that drug trafficking is not merely a criminal enterprise but potentially serves broader strategic objectives including financing terrorism and destabilizing the region.
The sophisticated organization of these networks, involving handlers based in foreign countries like the UK, Pakistan-based coordinators, and local operatives in Punjab, reveals a highly structured international criminal enterprise. The seizure of weapons alongside drugs in several operations further underscores the dangerous intersection between drug trafficking and arms smuggling, both of which can fuel instability and violence.
Socio-Economic Impact
The drug crisis has had devastating effects on Punjab’s society and economy. Problems of drug dependence produce dramatic costs to all societies in terms of lost productivity, transmission of infectious diseases, family and social disorder, crime, and excessive utilization of health care CM Bhagwant Mann: नशे के खिलाफ पंजाब पुलिस का ताबड़तोड़ एक्शन, मादक पदार्थों की तस्करी का किया भंडाफोड़, जानें ड्रग्स का पाकिस्तानी कनेक्शन. Families across Punjab have been torn apart by addiction, with the productive youth population—traditionally the backbone of the state’s economy—falling victim to substance abuse. The agricultural sector, once Punjab’s pride, has suffered as farmers and farm laborers struggle with addiction, leading to decreased productivity and economic decline.
Participation in the illegal drug economy is also expanding, with a rising number of women involved in it, as investigations have highlighted how some of the most deprived areas of Punjab saw spikes in rates of female involvement in the drug trade. This expansion of the drug economy to include women from economically marginalized communities represents a troubling evolution of the crisis, indicating that economic desperation is driving entire communities into criminal activities.
The healthcare infrastructure in Punjab faces enormous pressure from the drug crisis. Hospitals and rehabilitation centers are overwhelmed with patients suffering from addiction and its consequences, including overdoses, infectious diseases transmitted through needle sharing, and mental health complications. The crisis in Punjab reflects a confluence of socio-economic decay, inadequate healthcare infrastructure, and a legal framework not yet aligned with public health goals, with warnings that without urgent and coordinated intervention, the situation threatens to escalate further with devastating consequences Drug-free Punjab: 126 dealers held in 210 raids.
Government Response and Challenges
Punjab Police have undertaken aggressive enforcement efforts to combat drug trafficking. The state’s law enforcement agencies have set ambitious targets, with police chiefs directing senior officers to develop comprehensive plans to effectively cut narcotic supply lines, aiming to end drug trafficking by May 31, 2025. Recent months have seen major drug busts, with seizures of heroin ranging from dozens to over a hundred kilograms in single operations, along with the arrest of key operatives and dismantling of smuggling modules.
However, challenges remain formidable. The porous international border, sophisticated smuggling techniques including drones and water routes, the involvement of foreign handlers and intelligence agencies from neighboring countries, and the deep entrenchment of drug networks within communities make this a complex problem requiring more than just law enforcement solutions. The legal framework, while strengthened through laws like the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act of 1985, struggles to keep pace with evolving trafficking methods and the public health dimensions of addiction.
Critics argue that Punjab needs a comprehensive strategy that goes beyond arrests and seizures. This would include addressing the root causes such as unemployment and agrarian distress, strengthening border security with advanced technology, developing robust rehabilitation and treatment infrastructure, implementing community-based prevention programs, and adopting public health approaches to addiction rather than purely punitive measures. The fight against drug trafficking in Punjab requires sustained political will, adequate resources, inter-state and international cooperation, and most importantly, a recognition that this is not merely a law enforcement problem but a multifaceted crisis requiring integrated solutions across economic development, healthcare, education, and social welfare sectors.