A tightening security apparatus across India's northeastern states has inadvertently redirected the marijuana trade toward Nepal, with smugglers now funnelling contraband through the open India-Nepal border into domestic markets and onward to international destinations, according to officials tracking the narcotics route.

How the Northeast Crackdown Reshaped the Drug Map

When the Narendra Modi government intensified its security focus on border states after 2014, marijuana cultivation across Assam, Tripura, Manipur, Meghalaya, and Mizoram collapsed sharply. These hilly regions had long supplied high-grade cannabis to American and European markets, where altitude-grown varieties command a premium. With that supply disrupted, trafficking networks pivoted to Nepal, where large-scale cultivation has since filled the gap.

The Bihar Gateway

Officials have identified Sunsari district in Nepal as the primary staging point for cross-border marijuana movement. The contraband enters India through Araria and Supaul districts in Bihar, exploiting the 1,751-kilometre open border governed by the Indo-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship. Smugglers use private cars, motorcycles, and trucks, often aided by local touts who charge a fee to move people and goods across the border while evading detection. Notably, officials say these same networks were previously used by the Indian Mujahideen to bring in individuals who had transited through Nepal from Pakistan.

The Trafficking Chain: Bihar to Sri Lanka

Once inside India, the marijuana moves by road toward southern states, from where it is reportedly pushed into Sri Lanka before entering international markets. This makes India both a consumer market and a transit corridor — a dual role that complicates enforcement. The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) recently dismantled an international trafficking network operating across Nepal, India, and Sri Lanka. During that operation, investigators found that charas and hashish oil were being smuggled from Kathmandu through the Sonauli Indo-Nepal border crossing.

The Golden Triangle Shadow and Pakistan Drone Threat

Officials say the NCB and allied central agencies have maintained intensive focus on the India-Pakistan border and northeastern states. A separate but related concern is the Golden Triangle — the confluence of Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand borders, centred on Myanmar's Shan State — which has evolved from a heroin hub into one of the world's largest synthetic drug production zones. Officials caution that while the Nepal route handles comparatively smaller quantities, the frequency of consignments is higher. The largest single threat to India's drug security, according to officials, remains narcotics smuggled from Pakistan via drones.

Policy Context and What Comes Next

Nepal banned marijuana cultivation in 1976, though pressure to lift the ban has persisted. The Nepal government has reportedly resisted, citing concern that legalisation could attract larger criminal players into the market. The United Nations has flagged the India-Nepal border as vulnerable to trafficking of persons, drugs, fake currency, and arms. The Modi government's stated objective of making India drug-free has led to a higher frequency of busts and increased surveillance at major transit points. Central agencies say the Bihar corridor remains the most preferred smuggling route, though the Uttar Pradesh border has also been used. All major transit points are now under active monitoring, officials say.