Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday, 15 October 2026, publicly commended Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and the Assam Police for a sustained anti-drug offensive that has so far yielded 945 arrests, registration of 547 cases, and seizure of narcotics valued at over ₹182 crore. Shah described the enforcement drive as "a decisive blow to drug networks."

Scale of the Crackdown

According to figures shared by Shah — updated to 13 October — authorities have conducted raids on 703 drug hotspots across Assam. Properties worth nearly ₹31 crore are currently under attachment proceedings, underscoring the campaign's focus on dismantling the financial infrastructure of trafficking networks.

Enforcement teams have executed 73 non-bailable warrants and apprehended 47 absconders, including 10 from other states — signalling that the operation has cross-state dimensions. In addition, proposals under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (PITNDPS) Act have been processed against 157 persons, with those cases currently under process.

Beyond Narcotics: Tobacco and Liquor Enforcement

The campaign has broadened beyond narcotics. Under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), authorities have conducted 2,229 raids, inspected 3,662 business establishments, and issued 2,844 challans. On the liquor front, 1,34,539 litres of illicit alcohol — including Indian-made foreign liquor — have been seized or destroyed.

Awareness and Prevention Outreach

Alongside enforcement, the state has rolled out a preventive layer: 2,943 educational institutions have been surveyed to designate tobacco-, drug-, and alcohol-free zones. A total of 633 awareness programmes have directly engaged 1,12,532 citizens and students — an institutional recognition that supply-side action alone cannot address substance abuse.

National Policy Context

Shah linked the Assam drive to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Nasha Mukt Bharat vision, reinforced by the Vision Document on Narcotics Control 2026–29. He reaffirmed the Centre's commitment to breaking drug networks and shielding India's youth from substance abuse. Notably, this is the latest in a series of high-profile endorsements of state-level anti-drug efforts that the Centre has spotlighted under the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan. Shah asserted that the fight against drugs would continue with "unwavering resolve."

Assam's multi-pronged strategy — combining law enforcement, financial asset action, institutional monitoring, and citizen outreach — is being held up as a model for other states operating under the same national framework. How the state sustains momentum beyond headline enforcement numbers will be closely watched.