Operation NARCOS

Operation NARCOS is an anti-narcotics operation of Indian Railway through its Railway Protection Force (RPF) to curb smuggling and illegal trafficking of drugs and narcotics through Indian Railway. Indian Railway is widely utilized by drug traffickers to reach their destinations and it is the most used mode of transportation of drugs in the country. Railway is comparatively easy to traffickers to carry their products unnoticed and can access almost every districts in the country. Usually these drug traffickers who disguise themselves as passengers in crowded trains and it is very difficult for the security officers to curb illegal trafficking of narcotics.

After the launch of NARCOS, Railway Protection Force has carried out wide search throughout the railway route which is prone to drug trafficking. Government of India has empowered RPF the right to arrest and search of suspected drug traffickers and seize narcotics through a notification in 2019 under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS).

North East states, Naxal affected regions of North India and eastern coastal areas are the major sources of narcotics. North eastern states of Assam, Nagaland and Mizoram have become major transit routes narcotics from outside. Eastern part of India has very busy maritime trafficking activities which is a serious concern for India. Only a small part of drugs is consumed locally and rest of them are transported to major cities of India through railway and road networks.

RPF is implementing Operation NARCOS with cooperation of state police and other organizations. It has seized crores of rupees worth illegal consignment of narcotics and could disband many drug trafficking routes through railway.