Battle against substance abuse is tough

Karnataka has set an ambitious target to become a completely drug-free state by 2028. However, achieving this target will require a monumental effort from all sections of society. According to data from the Karnataka State Police, 4,187 NDPS cases were registered across the state in 2024, but the number surged to 6,825 in 2025, underscoring the growing scale of the drug menace in the state. The increase in the number of cases reflects a trend of both expanding drug networks and rising substance abuse, particularly among youngsters.

It also points to a combination of intensified police action and the wider availability of narcotic and psychotropic substances. Refusing to give up, the police have heightened sur veillance near educational institutions, IT corridors, transport hubs and urban hotspots, including industrial sheds. But all said and done, synthetic and psychotropic substances, which are easier to transport and conceal, have reportedly seen a notable rise.

Urban centres continue to account for a large share of NDPS cases, but more alarmingly rural and semi-urban areas of Karnataka, are coming under the grip of the drug trade with organised networks expanding their reach, targeting vulnerable populations, including students and migrant workers. Karnataka’s campaigns to tackle drug abuse and trafficking include Operation ‘RISE’ that focuses on fighting drug peddling, intercepting border supplies, and providing better rehabilitation for addicts and ‘Beda Bro’ campaign targeting youth to educate students on the physical and legal consequences of drug use and help them resist peer pressure.

Despite the government setting targets and launching determined efforts, eradicating the drug menace completely is incredibly difficult due to several factors. However, a combination of strict law enforcement and robust community awareness programs has been yielding tangible progress. Enforcement drives booked 9,064 accused in 2025. Bengaluru remains the focal point of these busts, accounting for more than 50% of the state’s total drug related offenses, followed by Mangaluru, Shivamogga, and Mysuru.

Between January and May of 2026, authorities booked 6,651 accused under the NDPS Act, including 1,406 peddlers and 5,090 consumers. Bafflingly, police statistics show that out-of-state and foreign national arrests decreased as a percentage of total arrests, while local consumption charges increased. A cause of worry is that large quantities of narcotics continue to enter the state from neighbouring regions like Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Uttar Pradesh. Perhaps the biggest challenge lies in a shifting land scape of substances, including adulterated pan masala and online-marketed drugs, some being traded on the ultra secret dark web, which even enforcement agencies find extremely difficult, if not impossible to crack.