New Delhi: Bringing to notice the percentage of drugs smuggled through sea route, the central government on Tuesday told the Rajya Sabha that about 84% of Cocaine, 55% of heroin, 30% of Amphetamine type Stimulants (ATS), and 23% of Hashish was smuggled from January 2022 to 30 September 2022. The statistics were shared by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman via a written reply to a question posed by Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut.
Responding when asked for details on whether it is a fact that drug trafficking through sea routes is estimated to account for around 70 percent of total illegal drugs smuggled into the country, Union Finance Minister said, "As per inputs received from Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), the main drugs smuggled through sea route are Heroin, Cocaine, Hashish and Amphetamine type Stimulants (ATS). The percentage of these drugs smuggled through sea route vis a vis total seizures is significant, though their percentage varies from year to year."
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Giving out the statistical analysis, Sitharaman pointed out that out of 3017 kg of heroin seized by enforcement agencies between January to 30 September 30 this year, 1,664 kgs were smuggled through sea route amounting to 55% of the total drugs smuggled. Moreover, out of 122 kgs of cocaine seized, 103 kgs were smuggled through sea route amounting to 84%, and out of 2,267 kgs of hashish seized, 529 kgs were smuggled via sea route amounting to 23%. Out of 725 kgs of ATS seized, 221 kgs were smuggled via sea route amounting to 30%.
While in 2021, the statistics were considerably less than this year. Out of the total 7,197 kg of heroin seized by enforcement agencies, 4,242 kgs were smuggled through the sea route, amounting to 59%. Out of 364 kgs of cocaine seized, 303 kgs were smuggled through the sea route amounting to 83%, while out of 4197 kgs of hashish and 387 kgs of ATS seized, nil was seized through the seat route.
