"DRI Conducts Multi-Route Cannabis Seizure Operations Across India"
NDPS Act, 1985
India's principal law regulating narcotic drugs; prescribes mandatory minimum sentences for trafficking.
Charas
Resin extracted from Cannabis sativa; also called hashish; a scheduled substance under the NDPS Act.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), established in 1957, is India's apex agency for intelligence-led enforcement against smuggling and narcotics trafficking. It functions under the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) within the Ministry of Finance. Its statutory powers derive from the Customs Act, 1962 and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.
India's geographic position makes it structurally vulnerable to drug trafficking. The country sits between the Golden Crescent (Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan) and the Golden Triangle (Myanmar, Laos, Thailand), the two largest illicit opium-producing regions in the world. This geography makes India both a transit corridor and a destination market. Nepal, sharing an open border with India, has historically served as a conduit for charas (hashish) produced in the Himalayan region. Southeast Asian routes through Vietnam and Thailand have more recently emerged as channels for high-potency cannabis and synthetic drugs reaching Indian airports.
Drug trafficking does not operate in isolation. The proceeds from narcotics sales fund money laundering, gunrunning, and human trafficking networks. Trafficking organisations use the same logistics infrastructure, trucks, trains, passenger baggage, that legitimate commerce depends on, making detection difficult without prior intelligence.
The NDPS Act, 1985 is the principal legislation governing narcotics control in India. It classifies controlled substances by type and quantity. Offences involving commercial quantities attract rigorous imprisonment of 10 to 20 years and fines up to Rs 2 lakh. The Act places a partial reverse burden of proof on the accused in certain circumstances, making it a stringent enforcement tool. It also enables preventive detention of suspected traffickers.
Cannabis under the NDPS Act covers several distinct forms. Ganja refers to the flowering tops and leaves of the Cannabis sativa plant. Charas (also called hashish) is the resin extracted from the plant. Hydroponic cannabis is cultivated indoors under artificial conditions, producing higher concentrations of the active compound THC. …
India's proximity to two of the world's biggest illicit opium-growing states has enhanced her internal security concerns. Explain the linkages between drug trafficking and other illicit activities such as gunrunning, money laundering and human trafficking. What counter-measures should be taken to prevent the same?
The use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) by our adversaries across the borders to ferry arms/ammunitions, drugs, etc., is a serious threat to the internal security. Comment on the measures being taken to tackle this threat.
Consider the following statements regarding India's geographic vulnerability to drug trafficking:
1.India lies between the Golden Crescent and the Golden Triangle, the two largest illicit opium-producing regions in the world.
2.The Golden Crescent comprises Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan.
3.The Golden Triangle comprises Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
With reference to the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, consider the following statements:
1.Offences involving commercial quantities of narcotic drugs attract rigorous imprisonment of 10 to 20 years.
2.The Act places the entire burden of proof on the prosecution in all circumstances.
3.Charas, ganja, and hydroponic cannabis are all scheduled substances under the Act.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Consider the following statements regarding the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI):
1.It functions under the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) within the Ministry of Finance.
2.Its statutory powers for narcotics enforcement derive from the NDPS Act, 1985 and the Customs Act, 1962.
3.It was established in 1947 as part of the post-independence customs reorganisation.
How many of the above statements are correct?
Consider the following pairs:
Drug / Substance : Source / Description
I.Ganja : Flowering tops and leaves of Cannabis sativa
II.Charas : Resin of Cannabis sativa (hashish)
III.Heroin : Derived from the poppy plant Papaver somniferum
IV.Cocaine : Derived from Erythroxylum coca, native to South America
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
Want the full note, Prelims Facts & MCQ answers?
Create a free account — takes less than a minute.
Create free account