The Indian government is taking strong action against drug traffickers operating within the country. In a significant move, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is preparing to deport over 16,000 foreign nationals implicated in drug-related offenses. These individuals, involved in various aspects of drug trafficking, from smuggling to transportation, will be sent back to their respective countries.
Countries of origin for the individuals include Bangladesh, the Philippines, Myanmar, Malaysia, Ghana, and Nigeria. This action is based on reports and recommendations from the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB). Currently, these foreign nationals are held in detention centers across several Indian states.
The deportation process will be carried out under new immigration laws. This measure is part of a broader effort to combat the drug trade in India.
Over the past decade, authorities have seized more than one crore kilograms of drugs, a substantial increase compared to the 2.6 million kilograms seized between 2005 and 2014. The MHA also revealed that over the past five years, drugs valued at more than ₹11,311 crore were seized from various seaports across the country, involving 19 cases. This information was provided in response to a question posed by the Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, regarding the increase in drug seizures at ports. The seizures involved cases from Gujarat (8), Maharashtra (8), Tamil Nadu (1), and West Bengal (2), including substances like cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and tramadol.