Dealing a debilitating blow to the smugglers of Prohibited narcotics and Psychotropic Drugs and Substances, the Customs formations under the CBIC carried out an all India destruction of huge quantity of seized/confiscated narcotics and psychotropic drugs and substances (NDPS), whose trade is prohibited, on 24th January 2020. This is the first time ever that narcotics & psychotropic drugs and Substances have been simultaneously destroyed in an all India operation.

The Substances destroyed include cannabis (11,326 kg), heroin (251 kg), ephedrine (316 kg) ketamine (321 kg), ecstasy tablet (3549 numbers), phensedyl (25,400 bottles), amphetamine (4,896 bottles), other NDPS drugs (56 kg) etc values at around ₹ 79 crores in the International Market. The destruction took place at Bhopal, Patna, Lucknow, Chennai, Pune, Shillong, Delhi and Mumbai.

Apart from deleterious impact on the academic, social, psychological, physiological and economic development of the people consuming drugs, the drug menace also imposes a high cost on their families. To further boost the public awareness of the perils of the drug abuse, mass media coverage was initiated to witness the destruction of the seized drugs substances at various places across the country.

The efforts of the Customs Department in acting a bulwark against curbing the drug menace in general and as an alert enforcement agency against the import of banned substances in particular, were appreciated on the occasion.

Destruction of Prohibited Narcotics: all India coordinated disposal reinforces enforcement against illicit drug imports and trafficking. The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs conducted a coordinated all India destruction of seized Prohibited narcotics and Psychotropic Drugs and Substances on 24 January 2020, disposing of multiple categories of contraband-including cannabis, heroin, ephedrine, ketamine, ecstasy, phensedyl and amphetamine-at designated sites across several cities, and publicised the operation to reinforce deterrence and public awareness of drug related harms.