Parliament Question: Drug Smuggling Network

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2566 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 4TH AUGUST, 2026/ SHRAVANA 13, 1948 (SAKA) DRUG SMUGGLING NETWORK 2566. SHRI UMMEDA RAM BENIWAL: Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government is aware of the international drug smuggling network busted in Barmer district in April 2026 involving cross-border smuggling of narcotics and explosives through GPS-based coordination and digital payments; (b) if so, the details of the counter-narcotics infrastructure and personnel deployed in Barmer to address such threats; (c) the total quantity of narcotics seized, the number of cases registered along the Rajasthan-Pakistan border during the last three years, and whether any vulnerability assessment of border villages in Rajasthan has been conducted in this regard; and (d) whether the increased use of drones for cross-border narcotics trafficking, the Government has approved to deploy dedicated anti-drone and counter-narcotics technology along the Rajasthan border and if not, the reasons therefor? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI NITYANAND RAI) (a) The Home Department, Government of Rajasthan has informed that, on 07.04.2026, within the jurisdiction of the Sadar Police Station, Barmer, the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) Gujarat and ATS Rajasthan with the assistance of local police apprehended two accused travelling to Gujarat in an Eco-2- L.S.US.Q.NO. 2566 FOR 04.08.2026 Vehicle. A total of 4,980 kgs of methamphetamine was seized from their possession and the accused were arrested. The accused revealed that they had procured the methamphetamine from one person from Pakistan by contacting via WhatsApp and collected the consignment on 01.04.2026 from a location on the international border between the ‘Talab Ka Par’ and ‘Banne ki Basti’ posts. They transported the contraband in the Eco vehicle with the intention of supplying it to their contact in Gujarat. Consequently, case No. 85 dated 07.04.2026 was registered at Sadar Police Station under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. (b) In compliance with the Standing Order No. 06/2025 dated 12.03.2025 issued by the Director General of Police, Rajasthan, an Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) has been constituted by the State Government to take effective action against the narcotics trade. Separate ANTF outposts have been established in the border districts of Sri Ganganagar, Bikaner and Hanumangarh alongwith vehicles have been deployed at these outposts (c) As per latest data published by National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) pertaining to the year 2024, the total quantity of narcotics seized under NDPS Act, during 2022-2024 in Rajasthan is as under: --3- L.S.US.Q.NO. 2566 FOR 04.08.2026 Year Quantity of narcotics seized Kgs. Nos. Ltrs. 2022 155161.550 684188 15.800 2023 242769.223 427971 5596.990 2024 205244.958 953187 293.570 Source: NCRB As per latest data published by National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) pertaining to the year 2024, number of cases registered in the districts (Rajasthan-Pakistan border) under the NDPS Act during 2022-2024 is as under: - Sl.No. Districts 2022 2023 2024 1 Anupgarh 0 157 173 2 Barmer 127 122 125 3 Bikaner 217 325 358 4 Ganganagar 393 369 381 5 Jaisalmer 19 40 38 (d) Drones and Anti Drone Systems are deployed along Rajasthan border. ******