NEW DELHI: With Afghanistan re-emerging as the global narcotic hub, with cartels now manufacturing value-added narcotics and psychotropic products like meth, besides exporting huge amounts of opium derivatives, the home ministry has asked national drug monitors to review the situation every 30 days amid proof of close nexus between drug and terror outfits operating in India.
Besides being one of the largest suppliers of opium-based derivatives in the world, the drug cartel of Afghanistan is now focusing on production of value-added products like meth-amphetamine that promise big margins to peddlers. The trend has set bells ringing among the agencies here, as the tri-junction comprising India, Sri Lanka and Maldives is being used to push the banned stuff into Africa, Southeast Asia and Australia, sources in the Narcotics Control Bureau said.
The matter has become a major concern for anti-drug agencies in India following investigations into a major drug haul done by the special cell of Delhi Police in 2022. It led to seizure of 312.5 kg of methamphetamine and 10 kg of heroin worth over Rs 1,200 crore in the international market from two Afghan nationals living in Delhi. “It was the largest amphetamine seizure ever,” said a source in the NCB,
adding that “investigations into the initial seizure led to the recovery of over 600 bags of the substance from a location in Lucknow.”
The threat is corroborated by a recent report of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) – Opium cultivation in Afghanistan, which states that, “The challenges faced by the Afghan population impede the ability to lessen its dependence on income generated from opium, which remains its main export product with well-established markets and trafficking networks.
The current contraction of licit economic opportunities makes households even more vulnerable to engaging in illicit activities such as opium and cannabis cultivation, and heroin and methamphetamine manufacture and trafficking.”
As per the UNODC report, opium cultivation in Afghanistan increased by 32% over the previous year to 233,000 hectares – making the 2022 crop the third largest area under opium cultivation since monitoring began. The report adds that opium prices have soared following the announcement of the cultivation ban in April 2022. Income of farmers from sales tripled from $425 million in 2021 to $.4 billion in 2022.
In the wake of the development, all state police heads have been asked to coordinate with the NIA and NCB to crack the larger network.