Assam has recorded the highest number of drug trafficking arrests in eastern and northeastern India over the last five years, while Manipur emerged as the biggest hotspot for heroin seizures and Odisha topped the country in ganja recoveries, according to a new report based on Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) data.
The cross-border drug trafficking and seizure report, covering 12 states in eastern and northeastern India, highlights the growing scale of narcotics smuggling and enforcement action in the region.
Assam registered 12,500 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between 2020 and 2024. During the same period, authorities made 20,398 arrests in connection with drug trafficking and related offences.
Odisha ranked second in the number of NDPS cases, recording 12,405 cases and 17,016 arrests over the five-year period.
Manipur emerged as the most sensitive heroin trafficking zone in the region, with enforcement agencies seizing 1,750.34 kilograms of heroin during the period covered by the report. Officials described the state as a “high-value trafficking risk profile” because of its proximity to Myanmar and the notorious “Golden Triangle” region, which is known globally for heroin and synthetic drug production.
The report noted that a significant portion of narcotics entering Manipur is believed to originate from the Golden Triangle area spanning Myanmar, Laos and Thailand.
West Bengal recorded 605.8 kilograms of heroin seizures, followed by Assam with 573.96 kilograms and Bihar with 485.24 kilograms.
The findings also identified Mizoram as a major concern for synthetic drug trafficking. Authorities seized 2,218.27 kilograms of amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) in the state, the highest among all 12 states covered in the report.
Odisha emerged as the leading state in ganja seizures, with authorities recovering a staggering 850,792 kilograms of cannabis between 2020 and 2024. The report stated that Odisha consistently witnessed a rise in ganja recoveries every year, including more than 212,000 kilograms seized in 2023 alone.
Tripura recorded the second-highest ganja seizures at 221,731 kilograms, followed by Assam with 179,462 kilograms.
The report comes as the Centre intensifies its anti-drug campaign with the goal of eliminating the narcotics trade from India by 2047. Union home minister Amit Shah recently reiterated the government’s commitment to strengthening border surveillance, tightening maritime security and improving coordination between central and state enforcement agencies.
Authorities have also been focusing on disrupting cross-border trafficking routes and expanding intelligence-sharing networks to combat organised drug syndicates operating in the eastern and northeastern corridors of the country.
