Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Vijay Sharma has directed police to target drug kingpins, financiers and organised syndicates rather than focusing only on small-time peddlers, ordering action across the narcotics supply chain from production and transport to distribution and street-level sales.
The directions were issued during a state-level review meeting on cases registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. Sharma ordered a detailed investigation into the financial networks supporting drug trafficking and instructed officials to identify and attach properties allegedly acquired through the illegal narcotics trade.
A special committee comprising chartered accountants, financial experts and legal professionals will be constituted to trace illicit financial transactions, identify assets linked to drug syndicates and facilitate action under the NDPS Act and the Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators (Forfeiture of Property) Act, or SAFEMA.
“Action against drug trafficking should not end with registering cases or arresting carriers and small peddlers. The entire criminal and financial network behind the trade must be dismantled,” Sharma told officials, according to the report.
District police have been instructed to map trafficking routes, particularly those used to transport ganja and other narcotics, and identify production sources, suppliers, transporters, local distributors and the people controlling the illegal trade. The review also covered narcotics seizures, arrests, property attachments, confiscation of vehicles used in trafficking and disposal of seized contraband.
Sharma separately ordered intensified surveillance of medical stores to check the illegal sale of intoxicating capsules, controlled medicines and syringes used for substance abuse. Police have been asked to coordinate with drug inspectors and conduct regular inspections, especially around schools, colleges and locations frequented by young people. Districts will also identify places where drug trafficking or substance abuse has been reported and place them under regular monitoring.
The home minister directed officials to expedite confiscation and auction proceedings involving vehicles seized in narcotics cases. A special drive will run for the next three months to complete confiscation proceedings in as many eligible cases as possible, subject to legal requirements. He also called for strict action against traffickers who attack police personnel during interception or seizure operations.
The state has set December 31, 2026, as the deadline for completing the lawful destruction of seized drugs that are more than six months old. The order covers narcotics seized on or before June 30, 2026, where the required legal procedures for disposal have been completed. Officials have been told to clear pending judicial and administrative formalities before destruction.
Sharma also called for better investigation and prosecution in NDPS cases, directing officials to ensure that evidence and court documentation are complete and legally sound. The possibility of establishing special courts for faster disposal of narcotics-related cases is also being examined.
The home minister directed officials to promote the national anti-narcotics helpline MANAS, which can be reached at 1933, and encourage citizens to report suspected drug trafficking. Awareness campaigns in schools, colleges and on social media will be intensified, with an emphasis on youth participation. Senior officials present at the meeting included Home Department Secretary Neha Champawat, Additional Director General of Police (Intelligence) Amit Kumar and Inspector General Ankit Garg.
