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 transportation to distribution and street-level sales.
The instructions were issued during a state-level review meeting on October 29, where officials examined district-wise data on cases registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, seizures, arrests, property attachments, confiscation of vehicles and disposal of seized contraband.
Sharma ordered a detailed investigation into the financial networks supporting drug trafficking. A special committee of chartered accountants, financial experts and legal professionals will be constituted to trace illicit transactions, identify properties acquired through narcotics trade and facilitate action under the NDPS Act and the Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators (Forfeiture of Property) Act, known as 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 Times of India report.
District police have been asked to map trafficking routes, including those used to transport ganja and other narcotics, and identify producers, suppliers, transporters, local distributors and people controlling the illegal trade. The directive shifts the focus of enforcement towards the organisation and financing of the supply chain, rather than only its visible street-level operators.
The home minister also 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, particularly around schools, colleges and locations frequented by young people.
Each district will identify areas where drug trafficking or substance abuse has been reported and place them under regular monitoring. Sharma also 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 eligible cases, subject to legal requirements.
The review also addressed the disposal of seized drugs. Sharma directed districts to complete the lawful destruction of narcotics stockpiles older than six months by December 31, 2026. The order applies to drugs seized on or before June 30, 2026, where the required legal procedures have been completed. Officials were told to expedite pending judicial and administrative formalities.
Sharma further instructed police to improve investigation and prosecution in NDPS cases by ensuring that evidence and documentation submitted to courts are complete and legally sound. Officials were asked to examine the possibility of establishing special courts for faster disposal of narcotics-related cases.
The state will also promote the national anti-narcotics helpline MANAS, which can be reached at 1933, and expand awareness campaigns in schools, colleges and on social media. Senior home department and police officials, including secretary Neha Champawat, ADG (Intelligence) Amit Kumar and IG Ankit Garg, attended the meeting.
