India's eastern border drug trafficking surge prompts nationwide crackdown

The Narcotics Control Bureau’s 2025 Annual Report warns that the Golden Triangle has become India’s biggest narcotics challenge, with Myanmar’s illicit opium cultivation expanding by about 56% between 2021 and 2023. Assam led the Northeast in 2025 seizures, confiscating 371 kg of opium and 46.5 kg of morphine, while Mizoram accounted for 42% of the nation’s amphetamine‑type stimulant interceptions.

The report highlighted porous Indo‑Myanmar border corridors such as the Champhai route in Mizoram and the Manipur corridor, which funnel narcotics to distribution hubs in Silchar, Guwahati and beyond. In response, Union Home Minister Amit Shah unveiled a three‑year “Vision Document on Drug Control (2026‑29)”, outlining a ‘Detect, Disrupt and Destroy’ strategy that targets drug trafficking, narco‑financing, synthetic drugs and cross‑border networks. The roadmap includes new NCB zonal offices in Jammu and Guwahati, an online drugs‑disposal fortnight, and a technology‑driven, network‑centric approach to dismantle drug cartels.