Serious Drug Crisis Continues in Punjab, 2.17 Lakh Kg of Narcotics Seized in 5 Years

December 17, 2025

New Delhi: Punjab continues to face a serious drug problem. According to data presented in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, between 2019 and 2023, law enforcement agencies seized approximately 2.17 lakh kilograms of narcotics, millions of tablets, and thousands of liters of illicit drugs.

This information was provided by Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai in a written reply to a question by MP Swati Maliwal.

NCRB Data: Year-on-Year Seizures

The minister, citing National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, stated that in Punjab,
44,239 kilograms were seized in 2019, 37,364.676 kilograms in 2020, 38,78.170 kilograms in 2021, 49,421.858 kilograms in 2022,
and 47,609.38 kilograms in 2023.

Growing Burden of Drug-Related Cases

A similar upward trend was observed in criminal cases related to narcotics.
11,536 cases were registered in 2019, this number decreased to 6,909 during the pandemic in 2020, before rising again to 12,442 in 2022 and 11,589 in 2023.

The number of pending cases increased from 23,671 in 2019 to 45,962 by the end of 2023, indicating a growing backlog.

Improved Conviction Rate, Overdose Deaths a Concern

Notably, the conviction rate has shown consistent improvement. The percentage increased from 64.8 percent in 2019
to 67.2 percent in 2020, 77.9 percent in 2021, 79.2 percent in 2022, and reached 82.7 percent in 2023.

However, deaths due to drug overdoses still remain a serious concern.
According to the data, 78 deaths were recorded in 2021,  144 deaths in 2022, and 89 deaths in 2023.

Central Government Support for De-addiction and Rehabilitation

On the rehabilitation front, the central government is supporting 10 de-addiction and outreach centers in Punjab.

Central funding for these centers has increased from ₹1.01 crore in 2022–23 to ₹2.96 crore in 2024–25, and more than 11,000 people are being rehabilitated annually.