Despite Gujarat’s long-standing prohibition policy and repeated assurances of a “liquor-free, drug-free state,” narcotics smuggling and consumption continue to surge across both urban and rural regions.
Recent data, major seizures, and public protests have intensified scrutiny on the government’s enforcement efforts, with critics alleging systemic gaps and unanswered questions regarding the masterminds behind record drug hauls.
While high-value drug consignments are seized, the system falls short of addressing the systemic vulnerabilities that allow drug smuggling to persist.
The system lacks clarity on both the ultimate destination and the origin of these consignments, leaving critical gaps in enforcement and intelligence.
Gujarat, an easy transit route
It’s reported that the Gujarat coast has been used as a transit route by drug syndicates in Pakistan to transport narcotics to their destination, especially in the last four years.
ATS officials also clarified that all such attempts were thwarted.
Unnamed officials revealed to a certain section of the media that Karachi-based gangster Haji Salim has been using Gujarat’s maritime routes as transit points.
Drugs are frequently transported from Pakistani and Iranian ports into Indian waters. They are then smuggled via fishing boats to Gujarat before being moved to Punjab, other states, and abroad.
Earlier this year, a report claimed that 300 kg of meth seized near the Gujarat coast was meant for Tamil Nadu.
This aborted drug-running operation is linked to a Pakistan-based drug smuggler with the call sign ‘Fidaa’. He was reportedly involved in the smuggling of hashish into India.
Critical questions unresolved
The inability to trace the ultimate recipients or dismantle the larger networks behind these shipments exposes critical gaps in intelligence and the way Gujarat is conveniently used as a middle point to traffic drugs.
Gujarat’s 1,600-km coastline has increasingly become a focal point in India’s battle against international drug trafficking. Multiple high-profile operations in recent years indicate that smugglers are repeatedly using the Arabian Sea route to land narcotics on the state’s western shores.
The sheer quantity of drugs intercepted in Gujarat — some of the largest hauls in India’s history — has strengthened concerns that the state has become a major transit hub for narcotics entering the country.
The state deserves clear answers about these networks, as some unsettling numbers speak volumes.
According to figures submitted by the Union Home Ministry in the Lok Sabha, ports in Gujarat saw the seizure of 3,407 kilograms of narcotics valued at Rs. 7,350 crore between 2021 and 2024. Authorities also confiscated 94.19 lakh drug tablets during the same period.
Over the last four years, the total value of seized narcotics from the Gujarat coast has reached approximately Rs. 7,350 crore, yet investigators have not been able to identify the true owners of these consignments or trace the major syndicates involved. Opposition leaders say this raises doubts about whether the core networks remain untouched.
Only a fraction
Meanwhile, public-health observers warn that the volume of seizures likely reflects only a fraction of the contraband entering the market. Even as police highlight successful operations, the availability of drugs — including charas, ganja, methamphetamine, and synthetic pills — is reportedly rising in metro cities like Ahmedabad and in smaller towns and villages, putting thousands of young people at risk.
In a joint operation by the Indian Navy, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), and Gujarat ATS, authorities intercepted an unregistered dhow off the coast in February. The boat was found carrying 3,089 kg of charas, 58 kg of methamphetamine, and 25 kg of morphine.
Investigators believe the shipment originated from Iran and was intended for distribution in southern Indian states. Officials described it as the largest offshore narcotics seizure ever recorded in India.
In another major operation in November, NCB, Navy, and Gujarat ATS personnel seized approximately 700 kg of methamphetamine from an international cartel operating in the Arabian Sea. Eight foreign nationals were arrested. The coordinated mission highlighted persistent use of maritime routes for bulk drug trafficking.
In a late-night operation on April 12–13, 2025, Gujarat ATS and the Indian Coast Guard intercepted smugglers near the International Maritime Boundary Line.
Sensing an approaching crackdown, the traffickers allegedly dumped the narcotics into the sea. Around 300 kg of methamphetamine, valued at Rs. 1,800 crore, was recovered with the help of divers, marking yet another huge seizure off the coast.
Enough is enough
The scale of the drug crisis has triggered a political storm.
Congress Vadgam MLA Jignesh Mevani recently questioned why, despite massive seizures, the police have not been able to identify the masterminds or take action against any major drug mafia. Following his remarks, MLA Anant Patel also accused certain corrupt officials of turning a blind eye to illegal liquor and narcotics networks.
Speaking at a farmers’ rally in Sadalved village of Chikhli, Patel alleged that liquor and drugs were being sold “freely” in the state and claimed that some police officers were giving protection to bootleggers and traffickers. He warned that such officials would face consequences in 2027.
Mevani’s statements sparked protests in Tharad, where residents stepped out in support of strict action against narcotics. Demonstrators raised slogans demanding a total ban on liquor and held placards condemning alleged police inaction.
In Shivnagar, Tharad, tensions escalated when a group of local women confronted the area DSP, accusing authorities of allowing the open sale of liquor and drugs. The incident further fuelled public resentment and intensified calls for accountability.
Opposition parties maintain that the government’s public messaging and ground reality do not align. While seizures have increased, the absence of major arrests has raised suspicion that larger forces may be involved.
Critics argue that drug trafficking networks cannot function without internal complicity, and that merely catching couriers does not solve the problem.
Also Read: Gujarat: Drugs, Liquor Worth More Than Rs 6400 Cr Seized In Two Years https://www.vibesofindia.com/gujarat-drugs-liquor-worth-more-than-rs-6400-cr-seized-in-two-years/
