Lok Sabha Question No. 372 (STARRED), answered on 2025-08-19
Subject: Production and Trade of illegal Drugs
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: Dr. Sambit Patra

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO.*372

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 19 TH  AUGUST, 2025/ SRAVANA 28, 1947 (SAKA)

PRODUCTION AND TRADE OF ILLEGAL DRUGS

†*372. DR. SAMBIT PATRA:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) the steps taken by the Government to prevent the illegal production and trade of drugs like Mephedrone:

- (b)  the  number  of  production  centres  of  the  said  drug  exposed  by  law enforcement agencies in recent years;
- (c) the quantum of Mephedrone and other drugs seized from such illegal drug production centres along with the number of persons arrested in this regard; and

(d) the steps being taken by the Government to stop the operation of such illegal drug production centres?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI NITYANAND RAI)

(a) to (d) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT IN REPLY TO THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO-*372 FOR  19.08.2025  REGARDING  PRODUCTION  AND  TRADE  OF  ILLEGAL DRUGS

(a) The  Government  of  India  is  committed  to  prevent  the  illegal production and trade of drugs and its abuse. Various Central Agencies such  as  Narcotics  Control  Bureau,  Customs,  Directorate  of  Revenue Intelligence, Border Guarding Forces [Border Security Force (BSF), Assam Rifles, Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) etc] and State Agencies (State Police/ Excise/  Forest  Department)  have  been  empowered  under  the  Narcotic Drugs  and  Psychotropic  Substances  (NDPS)  Act-  1985  to  have  strict control  over  the  movement  of  Narcotics  and  Psychotropic  substances. The policy of the Government has been to promote the use of legitimate substances  under  NDPS  for  medical  and  scientific  purposes  and  to prevent their diversion and illegal smuggling and misuse. In this regard, Government has taken various steps to prevent the illegal production and trade of drugs, some of which are mentioned below: -

- (i) Constituted a 4-tier Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD) mechanism which enables coordination among Central and State agencies.
- (ii) Anti-Narcotics  Task  Force  (ANTF)  has  been  established  in  all States/UTs,  which  also  serves  as  NCORD  secretariat  for  local enforcement.

## L.S.S.Q.NO. *372 FOR 19.08.2025

- (iii) A Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) has been set up under the Director  General,  Narcotics  Control  Bureau  (NCB)  to  oversee significant drug seizure investigations.
- (iv) A task force on Darknet and Crypto-Currency has been set up under the  MAC  mechanism  with  a  focus  on  monitoring  all  platforms facilitating  Narco-trafficking,  sharing  of  inputs  on  drug  trafficking amongst  Agencies/MAC  members,  interception  of  drug  networks, continuous  capturing  of  trends,  modus  operandi  &  nodes  with regular database updates and review of related rules & laws.
- (v) Border Guarding Forces and Railway Protection Force are empowered under the NDPS Act for enforcement at borders and rail routes.
- (vi) NCB collaborates with other agencies like Navy, Coast Guard, Border Security Force, and State ANTFs to carry out joint anti-drug operations.
- (vii) Electronic scanning of consignments at ports is being implemented to detect drugs.
- (viii)  To  enhance the capacity building, NCB regularly trains  officers of Drug Law Enforcement Agencies (DLEAs).

## L.S.S.Q.NO. *372 FOR 19.08.2025

- (ix) Financial assistance is being provided to eligible States for strengthening their anti-narcotics units under the scheme 'Assistance to States & UTs'.
- (x) National Integrated Database on Arrested Narco-Offenders (NIDAAN) portal has been launched to support investigations and proactive policing.
- (xi) Madak-Padarth Nished Asoochna Kendra (MANAS)- A 24x7 toll-free helpline (1933) has been established to report drug-related issues via calls, SMS, chatbot, email, or web.
- (xii) Effort towards increased international cooperation for exchange of information  and  investigative  assistance  in  administering  control over the movement of Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances and Precursor Chemicals is being regularly made.
- (b) The  number  of  clandestine  laboratories  busted  by  all  Drug  Law Enforcement Agencies  (DLEAs)  across  the  country  as  reported  to Narcotics Control Bureau   (NCB) during last five years (2020 to 2024) are as under: -

## L.S.S.Q.NO. *372 FOR 19.08.2025

|   Year |   Total Clandestine Laboratories Busted (all Drugs) by all DLEAs in India |   Mephedrone Laboratories Busted |
|--------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|   2020 |                                                                         5 |                                1 |
|   2021 |                                                                         9 |                                1 |
|   2022 |                                                                        10 |                                5 |
|   2023 |                                                                         8 |                                2 |
|   2024 |                                                                         9 |                                6 |

Source: NCB

- (c) The  quantum  of  drugs  (including  Mephedrone)  seized  from  such illegal drug production centres along with the number of persons arrested during last five years (2020 to 2024) are as under: -
- (d) Government has taken various steps to stop the operation of such illegal drug production centres, some of which are mentioned below: -
- (i) Intelligence  gathering  and  sharing  mechanisms  to  identify  and target networks involved in the illicit manufacture, trafficking, and distribution of synthetic drugs like Mephedrone has been intensified.

|   Year |   Quantity seized (in Kg) |   No. of persons arrested |
|--------|---------------------------|---------------------------|
|   2020 |                      1616 |                         9 |
|   2021 |                      2002 |                        27 |
|   2022 |                      2732 |                        40 |
|   2023 |                       561 |                        37 |
|   2024 |                      1698 |                        40 |

Source: NCB

## L.S.S.Q.NO. *372 FOR 19.08.2025

- (ii) Clandestine laboratories engaged in the manufacture of Mephedrone are being proactively identified and dismantled through coordinated operations.
- (iii) Financial investigations are being conducted against drug traffickers under Chapter V-A of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.
- (iv) Red Flag Indicators (RFI) for sensitisation of field officers regarding clandestine  laboratories  involved  in  manufacturing  of  Synthetic Drugs including Mephedrone was shared by NCB with States/Union Territories.
- (v) A  Standard  Operating  Procedure  (SOP)  has  been  shared  by  the Ministry of Home Affairs with the Director Generals of Police (DGsP) of all States and Union Territories to address the issues relating to Precursor Chemical trafficking including red flag indicators, clandestine laboratories and diversion of Controlled Substances and Precursors.
- (vi) NCB in collaboration with Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), United States of America (USA) is conducting training programmes for all DLEAs  on 'Clandestine Laboratories and Precursor Chemical Diversion'.

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