Punjab accounts for nearly half of India’s heroin seizures despite being just 2.3% of population

Chandigarh, Punjab — September 18, 2025 A startling data reveal shows that in 2024, Punjab, which has just 2.3% of India’s population, was responsible for 44.5% of the country’s heroin seizures, according to the latest annual report by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB). Out of 2,596 kg of heroin seized across the nation, about 1,150 kg was confiscated in Punjab alone. The scale of the drug problem in Punjab is further underscored by the seizure of large quantities of habit-forming pharmaceutical pills. The state recorded 2.94 crore pills that were confiscated, far outpacing Uttar Pradesh’s 51 lakh in a similar category. Nationally, around 4.84 crore such pills were seized. One worrying trend in the report is the drone-assisted smuggling along the Indo-Pakistan border. Drone related heroin seizures in 2024 rose dramatically — Punjab alone accounted for 163 of the 179 drone seizures across the country, involving roughly 187 kg of heroin. Drug abuse trends in Punjab are not limited to heroin. Commonly abused substances also include cough syrups containing codeine and Buprenorphine, sedatives like Alprazolam, etc. These are significant public health risks. Officials emphasise that while keeping up enforcement is necessary, there also has to be a long-term strategy. Interventions suggested include better border surveillance, community outreach, stricter penalty enforcement, rehabilitation programmes, and regulation of pharmaceutical distribution chains to curtail misuse. The report has sparked debate within Punjab about whether law enforcement alone is enough to tackle the problem, or whether socio-economic factors such as unemployment, social marginalisation, youth disillusionment also need stronger attention. Civil society groups are calling for increased funding for drug de-addiction centers, mental health services, and more accessible education and skill training in border-districts. Political fallout is also visible. Opposition parties have seized on the findings to demand tighter governance and accountability from the current state administration. Questions are being asked about how effectively state policies are translating into action on the ground. Meanwhile, public anxiety about the safety of adolescents and children is growing in rural and urban areas alike as these seizures suggest high supply and possibly high demand. In response, Punjab’s law enforcement agencies have assured that operations will intensify, with more crackdowns planned, especially in districts along the border. Public awareness campaigns are expected to be expanded. The NCB report could become a lodestar for shaping the next round of state drug policy, especially in light of these staggering numbers.