The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) seized 2,362 kg of narcotic drugs, mostly ganja, this year and arrested 46 suspects involved in the cases.
Notable among the cases was the seizure of 7.618 kg of cocaine in a pan-India joint operation along with the Customs Intelligence Unit, the agency said in a press release.
The Chennai Zone of the NCB, the release said, worked with a focused strategy to dismantle the structural, organisational, and financial foundations of drug-trafficking networks. Emphasis was laid on financial investigations into the illegally acquired assets of arrested persons.
In 2025, financial investigations were conducted against six persons resulting in the freezing of assets worth ₹12.33 crore, including movable and immovable properties.
A significant case involved the identification and arrest of a hawala operator from Dubai, who was facilitating drug trafficking between India and Sri Lanka. The accused was arrested while attempting to flee the country and illegally acquired assets worth ₹2 crore were identified and frozen.
On the prosecution front, 15 cases were disposed of, out of which 11 resulted in conviction, achieving a conviction rate of 73.33%. The convicted were awarded sentences ranging from 10 to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment.
NCB also shared actionable intelligence with Enforcement Bureau CID of the Tamil Nadu police and participated in joint operations. Emerging trafficking trends indicated a decline in the consumption of amphetamine-type stimulants, with a noticeable shift towards hydroponic weed and prescription drugs, which continued to remain an area of focused enforcement and preventive action, the release said.
Published – December 31, 2025 03:27 pm IST
