Why in news?
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), India’s premier anti‑smuggling agency under the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, recently seized over 108 kg of hydroponic cannabis within 20 days during “Operation Weed Out”. The operation targeted trafficking networks smuggling high‑potency cannabis from Southeast Asia.
About the operation
“Operation Weed Out” is a nationwide crackdown on the illicit import of hydroponically grown marijuana. Hydroponic weed, cultivated in nutrient‑rich water instead of soil, has a higher concentration of the psychoactive compound THC and commands a higher price.
Objectives
- Prevent the inflow of high‑potency cannabis from abroad.
- Disrupt drug syndicates and arrest masterminds behind the trafficking.
- Support the government’s “Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan” (Drug‑Free India) by reducing availability of narcotics.
Key features
- Intelligence‑driven operations: Targeted interceptions based on specific leads.
- Pan‑India coverage: Simultaneous raids at airports and major cities.
- Multi‑agency coordination: Collaboration with airport security, customs, state police and foreign agencies.
- Financial investigations: Seizure of drug money and tracing of hawala channels used to fund smuggling.
- Legal action: Offenders are booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act 1985, which carries strict penalties.
Why it matters
- Public health: Prevents availability of dangerous narcotics, especially among youth.
- National security: Drug trafficking networks are often linked with organised crime and can finance other illicit activities.
- Economic impact: Disrupting the narcotics trade cuts off illegal revenues that could have been laundered into the formal economy.