Drug traffickers fear using Gujarat as transit route: Dy CM Sanghavi
Gandhinagar, June 26
Gujarat Police has prevented narcotic substances worth more than Rs 13,600 crore from reaching users in Gujarat and other parts of India over the past five years, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi said on Friday as the state marked the 'International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking'.
In a statement on social media platform on X, Sanghavi said Gujarat Police had registered more than 3,700 cases under anti-narcotics laws during the five-year period and arrested 5,346 people allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade.
He said sustained enforcement had made traffickers reluctant to use Gujarat as a transit route for smuggling narcotics to other states.
"Today, drug traffickers fear using Gujarat as a route to transport narcotics to other states," Sanghavi said, adding that the seizures had prevented drugs from reaching young people in Gujarat and elsewhere in the country.
According to official figures, police have seized more than 1.36 lakh kilograms of narcotic substances during the period.
The number of registered narcotics cases has also risen, from 315 in 2020 to 584 in the first five months of 2026, which officials attribute to increased enforcement and surveillance rather than a confirmed rise in drug activity.
Sanghavi highlighted several measures introduced by the state government to strengthen anti-drug enforcement.
"Gujarat is the first state to implement a 'Drug Reward Policy' that provides financial incentives to police personnel and informants whose Intelligence leads to the exposure of drug trafficking networks," he said.
He also referred to an 'out-of-turn promotion policy' for police personnel who risk their lives while dismantling international drug syndicates.
The state has additionally established a dedicated Anti-Narcotics Task Force, authorised local police stations to investigate cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, and introduced an Artificial Intelligence-based analytical platform known as 'NARIT' to assist investigators in identifying criminal networks through financial, digital and communication data.
Anti-narcotics cells are also being planned across districts, while de-addiction and counselling services have been expanded alongside enforcement measures.
Observed every year on June 26, the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking was established by the United Nations General Assembly to promote international cooperation in preventing drug abuse and combating illicit drug trafficking.
— IANS
Reader Comments
The increase in cases from 315 to 584 in five months is concerning, but if it's due to better enforcement, then it's a positive sign. The AI platform NARIT sounds innovative—using technology to track financial trails is smart. However, I hope the reward policy doesn't lead to false cases just for incentives. Transparency is key.
Impressive statistics from Gujarat. As someone who's seen the drug problem in other parts of India, it's reassuring to see a state taking such proactive steps. The out-of-turn promotion policy for personnel risking their lives is a great motivator. Hopefully, other states follow this model.
Good initiative, but I wonder about the 'out-of-turn promotion' policy—could it lead to corruption or favoritism in awarding promotions? Also, with 1.36 lakh kg of drugs seized, we need to ask: where did these drugs come from, and are we tackling the source effectively? Drug demand reduction is equally important.
As an international observer, this is heartening news. The UN's International Day Against Drug Abuse is meaningful when states like Gujarat show tangible results. The NARIT platform using AI to track criminal networks is exactly the kind of modern policing we need globally. Keep it up! 🌍
Excellent work by Deputy CM Sanghavi and the Gujarat Police! The 'Drug Reward Policy' is a brilliant move to incentivize informants. However, I'm concerned about the rising number of cases—are we sure it's just better enforcement and not a real increase in drug flow? Need more community-based prevention programs in
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