Dr. G. Shreekumar Menon

Over 68,000 kg of narcotics seized in five years—yet the shadow of trafficking in Jammu & Kashmir remains deeply entrenched.

On April 2, 2026, the Central Government revealed that more than 68,000 kilograms of narcotics have been seized across Jammu & Kashmir over the past five years, highlighting the scale of drug trafficking and its deep-rooted networks in the Union Territory. According to official data shared by the Centre, the massive seizures point towards well-entrenched drug- trafficking. This was revealed by the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in the Rajya Sabha in response to a question by the National Conference Member of Parliament Mohammad Ramzan, who had raised the query regarding drug addiction survey and seizures made in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

Pointing towards the reports submitted by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), the Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment B L Verma revealed that 68,062 kilograms of narcotics was seized by the law enforcement agencies in Jammu and Kashmir during the last five years.

In the year 2021, a total of 25,942 kilograms of narcotics were seized while in 2022, the seizure was 20,857 kilograms. In 2023, seizure of 11,066 kilograms of narcotics was reported by the law enforcement agencies while in 2024 and 2025 the seizure was 5,707 kilograms and 4,490 kilograms respectively.

According to reports submitted to the Narcotics Control Bureau, the quantity of drugs seized has shown a steady decline since 2021, yet remains substantial, the Minister said, adding to assess and to know the magnitude of the problem of substance use in the country, National Survey on Extent and Pattern of Substance Use in India was conducted by the Ministry through National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi during 2018.

The National Survey highlighted a deep-seated challenge in Jammu and Kashmir, estimating around 14 lakh substance users across various categories: Opioids– 5,40,000 users, Alcohol–3,90,000 users, Sedatives–1,70,000 users, Cannabis–1,40,000 users, Inhalants–1,35,000 users. Other substances include Cocaine, Amphetamines and Hallucinogens.

Heroin is not just a drug in Kashmir—it is a silent epidemic consuming an entire generation.

Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) is facing a severe, escalating drug crisis, often described as a, targeted, strategy to undermine local youth, fuelled by easy access to heroin and synthetic drugs coming from Afghanistan. This trafficking, largely involving the ISI, fuels both local addiction and terror financing. Reports indicate that drug trafficking in the region is a deliberate tactic by Pakistan’s ISI to fund terrorist activities, with drug shipments and funding trails often linked to the ISI.

According to the International Journal of Surgery: Global Health, September 2023, “Drug overdose in Pakistan, a growing concern; A Review”, about 700 people die of drug-related complications and overdose in Pakistan every day, which translates to 250 000 deaths every year. In Pakistan, an estimated 7 million individuals take drugs regularly. Among them, 4 million use cannabis, and 2.7 million use opiates. Pakistan is one of the top 10 nations with the greatest prevalence of opioid addiction, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. According to a national survey on ʻDrug Use in Pakistan’, 4.25 million persons were reported to be drug addicted. The survey also reported that 1.6 million people admitted to opioid abuse. It was also claimed that recreational drug overdosing had surpassed car accidents as the leading source of unintentional fatalities, with opioids accounting for more fatalities than cocaine and heroin.

Heroin is the most commonly abused drug in Kashmir, over 90% of drug users in the region are addicted to it. An estimated 33,000 syringes are used daily for heroin injections. The crisis predominantly affects individuals aged 17 to 33, with approximately 168,700 children aged 10–17 estimated to be involved in drug use. High rates of intravenous drug use have led to a secondary health crisis; approximately 72% of drug users, tested positive at the Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (IMHANS) for Hepatitis C.

A 2022 study by the psychiatry department of the Government Medical College in Srinagar found that Kashmir had overtaken Punjab, the north-western Indian state battling a drug crisis for decades, in the number of cases of narcotics use per capita.

But why heroin? Because of its rapid and intense euphoric effects, which many found more immediate and pleasurable compared to other drugs. It is easy to use, has higher potency, and the misconception that it was safer or more refined than other drugs only added to its appeal, despite its highly addictive nature.

The Afghanistan Opium Survey 2025, by UNODC, shows a decline in cultivation, signalling a shift in regional drug production and trafficking from opium crops toward synthetic drugs. The World Population Review 2026, ‘Heroin Production by Country 2026, states: “By far, the leading heroin producer in the entire world is Afghanistan. This country alone is responsible for 85% of the total global heroin and morphine that is transported throughout the world. Afghanistan is considered to have a monopoly on the heroin market. Further, 93% of non-pharmaceutical-grade opiates that enter the world market originated in Afghanistan. This industry in Afghanistan is a lucrative endeavour with export values averaging about USD 4 billion annually. Before the Taliban’s opium ban, this income was shared between about 200,000 family farmers who dedicated their land to opium production. This industry provides about 400,000 jobs throughout the country for Afghan farmers. In addition to heroin, Afghanistan is also the leading producer of hashish”.

From cross-border drones to covert networks, narcotics have become a weapon of proxy warfare.

As of early 2026, heroin trafficking between Pakistan and Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) continues to be a major security challenge, with a high reliance on drone-based smuggling, resulting in numerous seizures and arrests by Indian security. forces. Drones remain the primary method for transporting drugs across the International Border (IB). Multiple seizures have occurred in early 2026 in sectors like R.S. Pura and Kathua.

Pakistan’s covert heroin warfare will continue unabated, till we adopt a policy of repackaging the seized heroin into small pellets and sending them back to Pakistan via drones. “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting” – Sun Tzu, ancient Chinese military strategist and author of The Art of War.

The author Dr G Shreekumar Menon, IRS (Rtd) Ph. D (Narcotics), is

  • Former Director General National Academy of Customs Indirect Taxes and Narcotics, and Multi-Disciplinary School of Economic Intelligence India
  • Fellow, James Martin Centre for Non-Proliferation Studies, USA.
  • Fellow, Centre for International Trade & Security, University of Georgia, USA 
  • Public Administration, Maxwell School of Public Administration, Syracuse University, U.S.A.
  • AOTS Scholar, Japan

Dr G Shreekumar Menon can be contacted at shreemenon48@gmail.com