MYSURU: Karnataka has recorded a sharp rise in cases registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, with official data available with TNIE showing a steep 63% increase in just one year.
According to data from the Karnataka State Police, while 4,187 NDPS cases were registered across the state in 2024, the number surged to 6,825 in 2025, underscoring the growing scale of the drug menace in the state.
The increase in the number of cases has raised serious concerns among law enforcement agencies, policymakers and public health experts, who warned that the trend reflected both expanding drug networks and rising substance abuse, particularly among youngsters.
Officials said the high number of cases pointed to a combination of intensified police action and the wider availability of narcotic and psychotropic substances.
Senior police officers attributed part of the rise to focused enforcement drives launched across the state.
Special teams have been formed to crack down on peddlers, especially in the Mysuru and Bengaluru city police commissionerate, after seizures of drugs worth crores of rupees in recent months. In Mysuru, a police team from Mumbai raided a drug manufacturing unit on the city outskirts, while last month, an NCB team confirmed functioning of a clandestine drug manufacturing lab in the city.
Following these cases, police have heightened surveillance near educational institutions, IT corridors, transport hubs and urban hotspots, including industrials sheds.
‘Drug menace rising, seizure point in place’
“We have stepped up checks and intelligence-based operations, which has led to the detection of more cases. However, the numbers also indicate the growing penetration of drugs into society,” an officer said.
Experts, however, said enforcement alone does not fully explain the 63% jump. De-addiction specialists and social workers cited peer pressure and easy access to drugs as key reasons. Synthetic and psychotropic substances, which are easier to transport and conceal, have reportedly seen a notable rise.
Urban centres continue to account for a large share of NDPS cases, but rural and semi-urban areas are coming under the grip of the drug trade. Authorities said organised networks are expanding their reach, targeting vulnerable populations, including students and migrant workers.