Now Reading: 106 Nigerians Arrested For Drug Trafficking In India
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106 Nigerians Arrested For Drug Trafficking In India
India’s battle against drug trafficking has taken on an international dimension as its latest narcotics control report revealed that 106 Nigerians were among 660 foreign nationals arrested across the country in 2024 on charges linked to the illicit drug trade.
The data, released during the 2nd National Conference of Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) heads in New Delhi, paints a stark picture of the global nature of India’s drug challenge. According to the report, Nepalese nationals topped the list of foreign offenders with 203 arrests, followed by Nigerians (106) and Myanmarese (25). Others included 18 Bangladeshis, 14 Ivorians, 13 Ghanaians, and even 10 Icelandic citizens apprehended in various drug-related cases.
The findings were formally presented by India’s Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, who used the occasion to sound a rallying cry to law enforcement agencies across the country. Shah declared that the Narendra Modi-led government was determined to dismantle drug cartels operating both within and outside India, insisting that authorities must now go beyond arresting small-scale peddlers and begin targeting the masterminds directing operations from abroad.
“The time has come to bring those who run the drug trade in India while sitting abroad within the ambit of law,” Shah said. “This is not just a battle against narcotics; it is a battle against networks that fuel terrorism, exploit youth, and destabilize societies.”
The annual report by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) also highlighted alarming statistics on the use of drones as a trafficking route. Punjab, which shares a sensitive border with Pakistan, reported 163 drone-related drug smuggling cases in 2024, leading to the seizure of 187 kilograms of heroin, over 5 kilograms of methamphetamine, and 4.2 kilograms of opium. Rajasthan followed with 15 drone incidents and nearly 40 kilograms of heroin recovered, while Jammu and Kashmir reported one case with smaller quantities seized.
NCB Director General Anurag Garg, speaking on the country’s unique geographical vulnerability, said India is wedged between two of the world’s largest drug-producing zones — the so-called “Death Crescent” (Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran) and “Death Triangle” (Myanmar, Thailand, Laos), making it a natural transit and target for narcotics smuggling.
“While Punjab, Rajasthan, and Jammu & Kashmir remain vulnerable to heroin trafficking from Pakistan, the north-eastern states such as Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Assam, and Arunachal Pradesh face challenges due to their proximity to Myanmar. Coastal routes in Mumbai, Gujarat, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu are increasingly being exploited for the smuggling of synthetic drugs and precursors,” Garg explained.
Home Minister Shah emphasized that the government’s focus was shifting towards dismantling entire supply chains, from border entry points to local retail networks. He urged states to develop coordinated, high-level strategies that target three layers of cartels: those operating at the borders, those moving drugs into states, and the local distributors who get narcotics into communities.
“This battle is no longer just about catching peddlers,” Shah said. “We must adopt cutting-edge technology, including darknet analysis, cryptocurrency tracking, financial flow monitoring, metadata analysis, and machine learning, to stay ahead of these cartels.”
He also called for stronger international cooperation, noting that India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had already made progress in tracing fugitive drug lords. “I urge all ANTF heads to work with the CBI to secure extradition of these fugitives. Breaking these gangs will also disrupt terrorism funding and other organized crime networks,” he added.
India’s growing crackdown comes amid rising domestic concern over drug abuse, particularly among the youth. Officials believe that addressing the problem decisively is key to the country’s social stability and economic progress.
“Some nations have already realized the direct link between drug abuse and stunted development,” Shah warned. “For India, the challenge is even more urgent, because two of the world’s most notorious drug-producing regions sit right next to us. This is the time to fight back, decisively and collectively.”
