A shadowy drug smuggling highway from Nepal through India to Sri Lanka has roared back to life, drawing intense scrutiny from enforcement agencies. After a period of lull, traffickers are exploiting this route aggressively for hashish oil and charas, prompting swift action.
NCB’s Chennai and Hyderabad teams orchestrated a sweeping interstate raid under the ‘Drug-Free India’ campaign, netting drugs valued at around 10 crore rupees. Officials note Sri Lanka’s booming black market for these narcotics, driven by a sharp rise in addiction cases that has emboldened international cartels.
The island’s Indian Ocean location makes it an ideal pitstop for consignments from Nepal and farther afield—like Afghanistan via Pakistan and Iran. Southern Indian shores, particularly around Thoothukudi and Kodikkarai, act as midway stations where boats rendezvous with Sri Lankan partners in open waters.
These beaches have a notorious history, once hubs for opium swaps traded for beedi. Key Sri Lankan ports like Trincomalee, Galle, and Colombo facilitate the drugs’ influx and onward movement. Seizures have multiplied dramatically; Sri Lanka logged 35,000 cases in 2024 alone, up from rare incidents months prior. Methamphetamine demand has also surged post-2019.
Local Sri Lankan elements—ranging from thugs and fishermen to syndicates—handle packaging and inland distribution. The route’s popularity stems from fortified Pakistan borders pushing smugglers eastward. Indian intelligence is ramping up coordination with Nepal and Sri Lanka to choke this lifeline.
The Coast Guard’s patrols are intercepting suspicious fishing vessels from Tamil Nadu, a hotspot for these handovers. At the helm is a Sri Lankan kingpin pulling strings across Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, and now Tamil Nadu, streamlining sea transfers.
This isn’t a fresh threat but its escalation demands urgent countermeasures. Agencies are methodically identifying vulnerabilities, ensuring no stone is left unturned in their relentless pursuit to shut down the network.