Gujarat’s drug crisis: ₹16,000 crore seized in 3 years, but addiction continues to rise

Gujarat has reported the highest drug seizures in the country over the past three years, with narcotics worth ₹16,000 crore confiscated between 2021 and 2024. Yet, authorities acknowledge that street-level sales and addiction continue to escalate, particularly among young people.

Official data shows 87,607 kg of drugs were seized in the state during this period. The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) credit their joint operations with disrupting major smuggling cartels operating from Punjab and overseas.

However, only 2,600 small peddlers have been arrested in the same timeframe. Unofficial estimates suggest the number of drug users in Gujarat has crossed 20 lakh, underscoring the gap between seizures and rehabilitation efforts.

Local response and policing efforts

To address the issue at the community level, anti-drug units have been set up in police stations across Ahmedabad. Senior police officials say these units are focusing on “rescuing young people who consume drugs”. But questions remain about how effective the move will be, given complex legal procedures and limited rehabilitation infrastructure.

Between 2021 and 2024, the state government also introduced a reward system for informants. According to police data, 437 individuals were recognised for providing tips that led to drug seizures, with around ₹13 crore distributed in prize money.

Coastal smuggling routes

Gujarat’s 1,600 km-long coastline continues to play a central role in drug trafficking. Multiple large hauls have been reported from ports such as Mundra, Gandhidham, and Porbandar. In one case, 100 kg of drugs were found abandoned near Gandhidham’s coast in Kutch, but a formal police complaint was filed only after 11 months.

Officials say cartels linked to Karachi-based gangster Haji Salim have been using the state’s maritime routes as transit points. Drugs are often transported from Pakistani and Iranian ports into Indian waters and smuggled via fishing boats to Gujarat, before being moved to Punjab, other states, and even abroad.

20 lakh drug addicts—and growing

The 2018 National Survey had already estimated 17.35 lakh men and 1.85 lakh women in Gujarat were addicted to narcotics. Seven years later, unofficial sources suggest more than 20 lakh people in the state are now addicted. Traditional substances such as hashish, opium, and cannabis remain common, but synthetic drugs including meth, cocaine, and heroin are increasingly in circulation.

Experts note that people aged between 16 and 25 are most vulnerable to addiction. A survey found that in Ahmedabad and other major cities, 37% of addicts consumed opium, 13% heroin, and 30% other substances.

Arrests and challenges ahead

Between 2019 and 2024, Gujarat police arrested 2,600 peddlers involved in smuggling and retail sale of narcotics. Despite these actions, addiction levels appear to have risen steadily, leaving officials grappling with how to translate seizures into long-term solutions.

While consistent operations over the past five years have curbed large-scale maritime smuggling, experts warn that the absence of updated official figures on drug addiction and limited rehabilitation initiatives remain serious challenges.