In a dramatic escalation of its war on drugs, the Goa Police have reported a seismic 700% increase in the value of narcotics seized in 2025 compared to the previous year. This alarming surge has prompted a strategic shift, with law enforcement now focusing its might on dismantling the very core of the state's drug network by targeting kingpins and major distributors.
Staggering Numbers Prompt Strategic Overhaul
The sheer scale of the drug trade's growth is underlined by the figures. In 2025, authorities confiscated narcotics worth a colossal Rs 78 crore, a monumental jump from the Rs 10 crore seized in 2024. This near eight-fold increase has served as a clarion call for a more aggressive and intelligence-driven approach to eradicate drug abuse from the coastal state.
The new strategy was crystallized during a high-level meeting convened by Director General of Police Alok Kumar on Friday. He met with superintendents of police, the anti-narcotic cell, and the North and South units to chart a decisive course of action. "We will identify the main players in the drug trade in the state and act against them," Kumar asserted, signaling an end to targeting only street-level peddlers.
Multi-Pronged Attack on the Drug Supply Chain
The police blueprint is comprehensive and tech-savvy. Operations will now aggressively pursue those exploiting the dark web, social media platforms, and cryptocurrency to facilitate the narcotics trade. The force plans to develop actionable intelligence and enforce the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act stringently to sever supply lines.
Key components of the plan include:
- Establishing time-bound coordination with forensic science labs for faster test results in NDPS cases.
- Conducting detailed data analysis on drug trends to recommend policy changes to the government.
- Taking stringent action against manufacturers, suppliers, dealers, and peddlers using all related criminal and civil laws.
Task Force Activation and Public Mobilization
This operational shift comes hot on the heels of the state government officially notifying the Anti-Narcotic Task Force. This specialized committee is mandated to coordinate with various central agencies to prevent the illicit traffic of drugs effectively. Furthermore, DGP Kumar emphasized that Goa Police will work in close tandem with stakeholders at both state and central levels.
Beyond enforcement, the task force has a crucial socio-cultural mandate. It will take measures to create mass sentiment against drug abuse and actively enlist public support to make law enforcement more efficient and effective. The fight is moving from police stations to the public square, aiming to cut off both the supply and the social acceptance of narcotics.
The message from Goa's top cop is unequivocal: the era of incremental seizures is over. The battle has moved upstream, targeting the financial brains and logistical hubs of the drug trade with a united front of technology, inter-agency cooperation, and community resolve.
