Illicit drug trafficking between Golden Crescent and Golden Triangle a challenge to India’s national security

@prashanthamine

Mumbai: Much hue and cry has been raised over the seizure of 3,000 Kgs of illicit Heroin valued in the international market at about Rs 20,000 crores at Mundra port in Kutch region of Gujarat. It is by far the biggest seizure of illicit drug consignment anywhere in India.

More than this, what should actually raise anybody’s hackles is that since March 2019, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has not uploaded any new report on seizures of illicit drugs seized by it in the country!

What is more worrying, is the fact that India sits right in the middle of the crossroads of Golden Crescent in South and West Asia and the Golden Triangle in South-East Asia. The Golden Crescent is much older than the Golden Triangle.

Golden Crescent is made up of Opium producing mountainous regions of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran. Whereas, the Golden Triangle comprises countries of Myanmar, Laos and Thailand.

Indian state’s of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir share international borders with Pakistan which is part of the Golden Crescent. Whereas, the North-Eastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram share international borders with Myanmar which is part of the Golden Triangle.

Also Read: Rampant drug prevalence in youth threatens to derail economic growth engines in Asia & Africa, UNODC paints grim picture!

Districts like Amritsar, Tarn-Taran, Ferozpur and Fazilka district in the Indian state of Punjab share international borders with Pakistan. The drug menace in Punjab is not new to anyone and was amply brought out by the 2016 Bollywood flick “Udta Punjab”.

Until a few years ago, the Golden Triangle used to produce more than 70 percent of illicit Heroin (Opium) sold worldwide.

India has had a Free Movement Regime (FMR) with Myanmar. Under the FMR the Naga tribesmen were allowed to travel 16 kilometres into either side of the international border. Myanmar’s Shan state is known for production of synthetic drugs like Methamphetamine.

Recently on November 13, Commanding Officer (CO) of the 46 Assam Rifles, Colonel Viplav Tripathi, his wife and son were killed in an ambush by militants at Thinghat in Churachandpur district of Manipur. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and the Manipur Naga People’s Front (MNPF) have claimed responsibility for the attack. Sources disclosed that late Col. Viplav Tripathi had recently busted a major narco-terrorist drug racket in the region.

Another cause for concern and need for more vigilance is the Red Corridor of the Naxalites that passes through Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand and Bihar. Out of these Indian states, Bihar shares international borders with Nepal.

Drug cartels from Pakistan have been using Gujarat coast for the landing of drugs like illicit Heroin. Zahid Bashir Baloch is a well-known Pakistani drug trafficker in the region. Like the mysterious drug consignment seized in September earlier this year at Mundra port, most of such mysterious consignments of illicit drugs originate mostly from Pakistan and to an extent from Iran.

Another most significant recent seizure was of 20 Kg of contraband Marijuana (Ganja) in Bhind in Madhya Pradesh. The accused operated the racket through a leading e-Commerce platform. 

According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) between 2015 to 2019, 45,15,345.124-kilogram equivalent illicit drugs worth Rs 12,62,98,793 crore worth contraband drugs were seized in India.

Most type of drugs seized in India have included – Cannabis plant, Marijuana, Pharma Opioids like – Codeine, Tramadol, Buprenorphine, DHC (Di-hydrocodone), Opioids like – Poppy plant, Poppy straw, Sedatives like – Tranquilizers, Benzodiazepines, Methaqualone, medicinal drugs like Cough Syrups and Precursors like Ephedrine, states the UNODC report.

Age and age-group wise drug prevalence amongst children in India ranges from 10-year-old to 64-year-olds. Children as old as 10-year-olds, 12 years, 17- and 18-year-old teenagers use Cannabis, Opioids are preferred by 10-to-17-year-olds, Cocaine is used by 10- to 17-year-olds, and, Sedatives and Tranquilizers are preferred by 10- to 17-year-olds.

As per the UNODC report on drug prevalence for drug consumers in the ages between 15 years to 64 years, in 2015-19, in India, nearly 5.05% people mostly male consume Cannabis (Ganja), Cocaine (Crack) 0.18% male, Amphetamines 0.18% (male), Opioids 3.97% male, Opiates 1.42% male, Prescription Opioids 0.96% male, Tranquilizers and Sedatives 2.07% male.

According to the UNODC report, Amphetamine Type Substances (ATS) street price is about Rs 300 per 800 grams, other ATS like substances like Ecstasy type substances is about Rs 30 per 2,500 tablets, Cocaine type – Cocaine salts is about Rs 5,000 per 10,000 grams, Opioids – Heroin is sold at about Rs. 2,000 per 6,000 grams, Opioids like illicit Morphine costs about Rs. 1,500 per 5,000 grams.

Drugs like Ketamine and Phencyclidine Ketamine are also in prevalence in India and is also referred to as the “Party Drug” or “Rape Drug”, often used by sexual predators to sedate their victims. Then there are substances which are not under international regulations.

A more recent phenomenon that has been noticed in India is the clandestine laboratories that manufacture Amphetamines, Precursors like Ephedrine and Pseudoephedrine are legally produced. There have been instances of Pharma preparations Ephedrine being diverted from domestic distribution to extraction of Ephedrine for illicit production of Amphetamine Type Substances (ATS).

Consignments of Green Tea extracts containing Ephedra Vulgaris have been detained by the European Union (EU) and in South America. These can be diverted from licit trade and converted into Amphetamines for trafficking both within and out of India.

Also Read: Consumption, production and trade of illicit drugs have a wide variety of adverse socio-economic and political effects

Another challenge that India faces according to experts is the growth of illegal internet pharmacies indulging in smuggling of preparations containing narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.

There has been a growing demand for setting up of a Commission to regulate Internet Pharmacies, more stringent control over licit production of Opium/Poppy cultivation, control over Precursors and effective control of licit activities related to narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.

Besides this, another major problem in India is the lack of Research and Study of illicit drug trafficking and its spin-off effects like narco-terrorism. Research activity has not received much attention. There is not much research and study done regarding illicit drug markets in the country, the diversion of licit production and methods to curb cyber crime involving Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS).

Anashwara Ashok, Research Assistant, Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS) in her research paper published on June 25, 2019 argues that Drug Trafficking is a major transnational organised crime with potential to undermine national security. India’s proximity to the Golden Triangle is being misused by criminals for their nefarious activities. The growing nexus between drug smugglers and terrorist groups is a growing concern, adds Anashwara Ashok.

(More about illicit drug trafficking and threat to India’s national security in the next part.)