Metro India News | Hyderabad 

Drug trafficking continues to emerge as one of the most serious challenges facing Telangana, with investigations revealing how rapidly new varieties of narcotic substances are being pushed into the state. Officials note that drug rackets, operating with sophisticated networks, are steadily expanding their operations even as police, excise teams and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) intensify enforcement drives.

Over the past few years, authorities have intercepted drugs in new forms and packaging methods aimed at misleading enforcement agencies. Incidents have come to light where drugs were sold near schools and educational institutions, sometimes even disguised as chocolates, exposing young students to serious risk. Similar trends are being reported from remote villages, tier-II towns and nearly every part of Hyderabad, where drug trade is spreading without restraint.

Although the drug trade was once limited in Telangana, the menace has steadily grown since the formation of the state, with a steep rise recorded after 2018. Officials believe that the quantities being seized represent only a fraction of what actually enters the state. For instance, the ganja recovered in 2018 amounted to around 5,192 kg, which surged to nearly 41,400 kg by 2021. Even though the figure dropped to about 24,400 kg in 2024, enforcement teams say the actual inflow could be five to six times higher.

As ganja seizures fluctuate, the entry of new synthetic and chemical-based drugs is becoming a larger concern. Substances such as morphine, injectable drugs, hashish oil and various liquid-based narcotics, which were rarely found in earlier years, are now appearing in significant quantities. Rackets are also pushing ATS, cocaine, LSD blots, MDMA, mephedrone, opium, poppy husk, poppy straw and a range of psychoactive tablets into local markets, making enforcement even more complicated.

Data from the past seven years highlights the alarming rise in drug-related offences. Telangana registered only 298 cases in 2018, with 694 arrests. By 2021, cases had multiplied to 1,349 and arrests climbed to nearly 2,999. The upward trend continued in 2024, with 2,387 cases registered and 5,463 offenders taken into custody. Enforcement agencies also report a sharp increase in the volume of drugs destroyed each year after obtaining court permission, indicating both rising availability and increased seizures.

Taking note of the situation, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has directed special attention toward combating drug trafficking. The government has set up ‘Eagle’, a specialised enforcement unit dedicated to drug control, which is conducting operations based on intelligence inputs and tip-offs received through its toll-free number 1908. The team is working alongside police, excise and NCB units to track peddlers, dismantle supply chains and disrupt networks operating within the state.

However, officials and experts emphasise that enforcement systems need much stronger coordination and significant upgrades. They recommend increasing manpower, modernising weaponry, improving surveillance technologies and strengthening forensic labs capable of identifying newer drug variants. With global drug rackets continually innovating, experts believe that advanced detection systems are essential for timely investigation and prosecution.

A lingering public concern is the perceived lack of strict action against celebrities linked to drug cases. Several incidents in the past involved well-known personalities, but the investigations did not progress beyond initial questioning. Activists argue that visible and firm action against high-profile individuals would deter young people who look up to them, preventing the glamorisation of drug use. They also urge stricter monitoring of educational institutions and neighbourhoods where young users and peddlers are often traced.

Stakeholders stress that drug abuse cannot be controlled unless suppliers, peddlers and users are all handled with equal seriousness. Strong enforcement, combined with awareness efforts and community vigilance, is seen as the only way to curtail the spread of the drug mafia in Telangana.