The Andaman and Nicobar Police intercepted more than 6,003 kilograms of methamphetamine between June 26, 2025, and March 12, 2026, with an estimated international market value of around ₹36,000 crore, linked to a case registered on November 26, 2024, under provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, the Foreigners Act, 1946, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. The Andaman & Nicobar Police have completed the phase-wise disposal of 6,003.55 kg of methamphetamine, valued at around ₹36,000 crore in the international market, under the supervision of the High-Level Drug Disposal Committee led by Director General of Police Hargobinder Singh Dhaliwal. The narcotics, seized during multiple operations, were destroyed on March 12 following strict legal procedures involving verification, documentation, and monitored disposal to ensure safety and compliance. Officials said the operation is part of ongoing efforts to curb drug trafficking in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, marking one of the largest narcotics destruction operations in the region.
The quantity recovered is among the largest drug seizures recorded in the islands, highlighting the scale of synthetic narcotics trafficking targeting the strategically located archipelago. Law enforcement records indicate that the contraband was secured through a series of coordinated operations carried out over a nine-month period.
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands’ remote geography, extensive coastline, and maritime connectivity have long made the region vulnerable to illicit trafficking routes. Investigators believe smuggling networks attempt to exploit these geographic features to move high-value synthetic drugs through complex maritime corridors.
Between June 2025 and March 2026, authorities carried out the seizures in accordance with procedural requirements under the NDPS framework, including documentation, storage, sampling, and evidence handling. Officials indicated that the recovered methamphetamine was linked to organised networks involved in moving synthetic narcotics through regional and international supply chains.
A senior police official, during a recent interaction with The Wave Andaman, said investigations and field intelligence have also pointed to the use of remote island settlements as operational points in the trafficking chain.
“Island hamlets such as Hut Bay have increasingly emerged as locations where drug hawling activities are suspected to be routed through,” the official said.
The official also highlighted an unusual aspect observed during investigations. “Many locals who become involved in drug trading are fully aware of the harmful effects of these substances. They avoid personal consumption and ensure the drugs remain outside the reach of their own families,” the officer noted.
The observation, according to the official, underlines a wider social dimension to the problem.
“The fight against drugs cannot remain solely a policing responsibility. In a small island society like ours, community awareness and vigilance are equally important. People involved in such activities must understand that in closely connected communities, it is only a matter of time before the consequences reach the very households from where such circulation begins,” the official added.
The scale of the methamphetamine seizures reflects the growing threat posed by high-potency synthetic drugs entering remote maritime territories. Security agencies consider the Andaman and Nicobar Islands a sensitive region due to their location along major international sea routes.
Officials said all operations were conducted with strict procedural compliance, with seized narcotics handled under regulated storage and monitoring protocols. Multiple departments coordinated in tracking the seized material and maintaining legal documentation required for prosecution under Indian law.
The nine-month operation highlights continuing enforcement efforts aimed at monitoring maritime routes and curbing narcotics inflow into the islands. Methamphetamine, due to its high potency and significant international market value, remains a major concern for law enforcement agencies.
The Andaman and Nicobar Police continue intelligence-led surveillance and enforcement measures to prevent the circulation of synthetic drugs across the islands. Authorities say the seizures underline both the scale of trafficking attempts in the region and the ongoing need for coordinated monitoring of remote maritime territories to safeguard public safety.
