Three-Year Action Plan by the Union Home Ministry and Anti-Narcotics Agencies Against Drug Cartels and Fugitives Abroad

¨   Union Ministry of Home Affairs and central anti-narcotics agencies are preparing a three-year action plan to combat domestic drug cartels and overseas fugitives.

¨   The plan is aligned with the goal of a “Drug-Free India by 2047”.

¨ It includes new enforcement verticals, improved intelligence coordination, and enhanced financial tracking mechanisms.

¨   The Narcotics Control Bureau is the nodal central agency for drug law enforcement in India.

¨     It operates under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.

¨ The NCB coordinates with state police, customs, border security forces, and maritime agencies.

¨     The revised action plan was presented to the Home Minister in May 2026.

¨     Several components of the plan are already being implemented in phases.

¨ The strategy proposes setting up dedicated drug enforcement wings in state intelligence units by the end of 2026.

¨  It also includes preparation of dossiers on the top 15 drug cartels/drug lords in each state.

¨ The plan places strong emphasis on monitoring hawala networks, cryptocurrency transactions, and suspicious financial assets linked to drug trafficking.

¨     Financial intelligence will be strengthened using NATGRID.

¨  Advanced tools such as darknet analysis, machine learning, and cryptocurrency tracking systems will be deployed.

¨  A special task force under the Multi Agency Centre (MAC) will monitor darknet platforms and encrypted communication channels.

¨     The Multi Agency Centre serves as a coordination platform for intelligence sharing among security and law enforcement agencies.

¨  The overall strategy aims to dismantle organised drug trafficking networks and strengthen India’s roadmap toward a Drug-Free India by 2047.