NCB, Navy, NTRO Intensify Vigil Off Shore The Indian Ocean Region To Detect Trafficking Of Contraband Drugs From The 'Golden Crescent'

New Delhi: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), in collaboration with other agencies, including the Indian Navy, National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO) have intensified its vigil offshore the Indian Ocean region to detect trafficking of contraband drugs into India from the "Golden Crescent".

The action was initiated following a high-level meeting held between officials from the NCB, Indian Navy, NTRO, and other senior government officials in New Delhi recently.

"The meeting discussed issues like trafficking of contraband from the Golden Crescent, which comprises Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan. It is anticipated that taking advantage of the present situation, drug traffickers may try to transport contraband via the Arabian Sea to India," a senior government official aware of the development told ETV Bharat.

The Golden Crescent is one of the world’s primary regions for illicit drug production and trafficking, and drug smuggling through the Arabian Sea has become a critical security challenge for India and the broader Indian Ocean region.Narcotics from the Golden Crescent are transported overland to the coasts of Balochistan and Iran, then shipped across the Arabian Sea.

Talking about the trafficking strategy, another official from NCB said that smugglers frequently use small fishing boats and high-speed motorboats to evade detection. "There has also been a rise in the use of commercial shipping containers for large-scale trafficking," the official said.

According to an estimate conducted by NCB, approximately 65 to 70 per cent of all illegal drugs smuggled into India arrive via maritime routes in the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal.

In February 2024, a joint operation by the Indian Navy, NCB, and Gujarat ATS resulted in the seizure of approximately 3,300 kg of narcotics, including charas and methamphetamine, in the Indian Ocean. Subsequently, in April 2025, a joint operation seized 300 kg of drugs valued at crores of rupees after smugglers dumped the cargo in the Arabian Sea.

Reports suggest that the traffickers first target Gujarat's coasts (Porbandar, Jakhau, and the Rann of Kutch), Mumbai, and then proceed towards Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

"Tamil Nadu and Kerala have become major destinations for smuggled drugs from Pakistan. One of the main reasons for this is the long coastline and the existence of large ports in Chennai and Kochi, which act as major hubs for maritime trade," the official stated.

"It is also easier to transport drugs from these ports to Sri Lanka and the Maldives further south," the official added.

The maritime security analysis conducted by the Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region registered a sustained flow of Cannabis and Amphetamine-Type Stimulants (ATS) during the month of March across South and Southeast Asia. It was also marked by major seizures in the Philippines (four incidents - 1,711 kg) and off Sri Lanka (three incidents - 924 kg).

The IFC-IOR of the Indian Navy aims at strengthening maritime security in the region by building a common maritime situation picture and acting as a maritime security information sharing hub. Since its inception, the Centre has established 76 linkages in 28 countries.

According to the analysis, the past two months have also seen a decline in drug smuggling activity across West Asia and East Africa, which may be attributed to disruptions in Golden Crescent supply chains amid regional instability, coupled with increased evasive tactics by trafficking networks.

"Historical data indicates that a total of 700 kg of narcotics was seized in West Asia and East Africa during the corresponding period in 2025," the analysis stated.

Talking to ETV Bharat, former deputy director general of NCB, Sanjay Kumar Singh, said that being closer to the Golden Crescent and Golden Triangle (Thailand, Laos and Myanmar), India has been vulnerable to the trafficking of narcotics and drugs such as heroin, hashish, and synthetic drugs produced in these areas.

"The Golden Crescent has remained the primary source of trafficked heroin in the country. Increased production of opium in Afghanistan and greater domestic demand in India contributed towards the increase in heroin trafficking," Singh said.

He said that Golden Crescent has also been a major source of hashish in India. According to a United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) report, India is wedged between the world's two largest areas of illicit opium production, the Golden Crescent and the Golden Triangle.

"This proximity has traditionally been viewed as a source of vulnerability, since it has made India both a destination and a transit route for opiates produced in these regions. This fact continues to be important in defining drug trafficking trends in the subcontinent," the UNODC report stated.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah also expressed concern over the drug menace, stating that in the fight against drugs, all departments of the Government of India should prepare a roadmap up to 2029 and establish a time-bound review mechanism for its implementation.

This challenge, according to Shah, is linked more to the issue of narco-terror than to law and order, and most importantly, it is a conspiracy to ruin the coming generations of the country.

"From March 31, 2026, for a period of three years, a collective campaign will be carried out on all fronts across the country against drugs, to move rapidly towards making India drug-free," said Shah while addressing the 9th apex-level meeting of the Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD) in New Delhi earlier this year.

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