Punjab's Drug Crisis: 6,060 Trafficking Cases in 2024, 553-km Border Vulnerability and Yudh Nasheyan Virudh Campaign
1At a glance
Punjab's persistent drug crisis, with 6,060 trafficking cases in 2024, is rooted in historical usage, geographical vulnerability, and economic factors. The state's 553-km border with Pakistan and the Golden Crescent region facilitates smuggling, while the AAP government's Yudh Nasheyan Virudh campaign targets traffickers' finances.
Alarming Statistics
Punjab recorded 6,060 drug trafficking cases and 106 overdose deaths in 2024, leading the country in trafficking and ranking second in fatalities.
Geographical Vulnerability
The state's 553-km border with Pakistan makes it vulnerable to smuggling from the Golden Crescent, one of the world's major heroin-producing regions.
Policy Response
The AAP government's 'Yudh Nasheyan Virudh' campaign aims to choke traffickers' finances and uses 1.5 lakh village volunteers for community-driven prevention.
2Facts to remember
Tap a card to see the answer. Try to recall it first.
3Detailed analysis
Context / Background
Punjab's drug problem has historical roots with social acceptance of opium (afeem) and home-brewed alcohol. Post-Independence, a ban led to smuggling from Rajasthan where cultivation was legal. The decline of militancy saw Pakistan allegedly adopt 'narco-terrorism', pumping drugs across the border. The state's economic structure, with limited job opportunities for aspirational youth, creates a fertile ground for the lucrative drug trade.
Core Analysis & Implications
The crisis has evolved from traditional substances to pharmaceutical drugs and sophisticated drone-based smuggling. Drones, mostly Chinese quadcopters, increased from 3 interceptions in 2021 to over 200 in 2025. The trade's high profitability (Rs 1,000-5,000 per gram of heroin) fuels it despite crackdowns. A nexus between traffickers, police, and politicians, exemplified by the 2013 DSP Jagdish Singh Bhola case, sustains the network. Women's involvement has risen sharply, with an 85% increase in arrests under the NDPS Act from 2015 to 2022.
Future Outlook / Way Forward
The current AAP strategy combines supply-side enforcement (catching 'big fish') with demand-side prevention through mass outreach. However, experts like Dr. Pramod Kumar argue that the EDP approach is flawed, suggesting prevention and rehabilitation should precede enforcement. Sustainable solutions require addressing the socio-economic drivers, strengthening cross-border and inter-state coordination, and breaking the deep-rooted criminal-political nexus.
4Background GK
Textbook concepts you need to understand this news
- Golden Crescent
- A major global area of illicit opium and heroin production, located in the mountainous regions of Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan.
- NDPS Act, 1985
- The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act is India's principal legislation for prohibiting narcotic and psychotropic substances except for medical and scientific purposes.
- Border Security Force (BSF)
- India's primary border guarding force deployed on the Indo-Pakistan and Indo-Bangladesh borders, functioning under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
5How exams will ask this
- Data: 6,060 drug trafficking cases in Punjab (2024) - highest in India.
- Nodal Body: Border Security Force (BSF) with 50 km inland jurisdiction.
- Legal Point: Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.
Don't make this mistake!
Confusing the 'Golden Crescent' (Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan) with the 'Golden Triangle' (Myanmar, Thailand, Laos), both major drug-producing regions. They may also swap the states leading in overdose deaths (Tamil Nadu - 313, Punjab - 106).
Write these in mains answers
Narco-terrorismSocio-economic determinants of drug abuseCommunity-driven de-addiction models
6Practice questions
Pick an answer, then read the explanation.
- Q1Easy
Which central armed police force is primarily responsible for guarding India's border with Pakistan and has its jurisdiction extended to 50 km inland?
Explanation: The Border Security Force (BSF) is India's primary border guarding force on the Indo-Pakistan border. The article mentions that the BSF's jurisdiction was extended from 15 km to 50 km inland from the international border in 2021.
- Q2Hard
Consider the following statements regarding Punjab's drug crisis:
- 1.According to NCRB 2024 data, Punjab recorded the highest number of drug overdose deaths in India.
- 2.The 'Golden Crescent' region, a major source of heroin, comprises parts of Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan.
- 3.The AAP government's 'Yudh Nasheyan Virudh' campaign involves demolishing houses built with illicit drug proceeds.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation: Statement 1 is incorrect. Punjab recorded 106 overdose deaths in 2024, which was the second highest after Tamil Nadu (313). Statement 2 is correct as per the article's definition of the Golden Crescent. Statement 3 is correct as 'Yudh Nasheyan Virudh' includes steps to choke traffickers' finances and demolish houses built with illicit proceeds.
- Q3Medium
As per the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) 2024 data cited in the article, how many cases of drug trafficking were registered in Punjab?
Explanation: The article explicitly states that as per NCRB 2024 data, Punjab leads the country with 6,060 cases of drug trafficking. This is a direct factual recall from the provided content.
- Q4Medium
What is identified as a primary reason for the flourishing drug trade in Punjab despite government crackdowns, according to the analysis in the article?
Explanation: The article states that one reason the trade flourishes is its high profitability, where a gram of heroin can fetch Rs 1,000-5,000 and a single run as a drug mule can earn a lakh. This economic incentive is especially potent in a state with limited job opportunities for youth with high aspirations.
7All sources
Original29 October 2026 · Read story
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