A security crackdown in the Northeast has led to a decline in marijuana cultivation in the region, driving up demand for the contraband from Nepal. The northeastern states, which share international borders, were a major hub for marijuana cultivation until the government tightened security in the region. Experts say that the quality of marijuana cultivated in the hilly regions of Assam, Tripura, Manipur, Meghalaya, and Mizoram is high, making it in great demand in the American and European markets.
However, with the decline in cultivation in these states, the focus has shifted to Nepal, where huge quantities of marijuana are being cultivated. The contraband is then smuggled into India through Bihar, making its way to the South Indian states, and eventually to Sri Lanka and the international markets. The India-Nepal border has become a major transit point for marijuana smuggling, with the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) identifying Sunsari in Nepal as the main point for smuggling.
The open border between India and Nepal remains a challenge, with smugglers using private cars, motorcycles, and trucks to bring in the contraband. Touts are also involved in helping smugglers transport the marijuana from Nepal into Bihar, avoiding detection. The Indian government has set a roadmap to make India drug-free, and as a result, the agencies have their eyes on all major transit points.
However, the problem does not end in India, as the same drugs are meant for the international market, making the country a transit point. Recently, the NCB dismantled an international drug trafficking network operating across Nepal, India, and Sri Lanka, highlighting the extent of the problem. The network was found to be smuggling charas and hashish oil into India from Kathmandu through the Sonauli Indo-Nepal border.
The Golden Triangle, which marks the confluence of the Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand borders, has also become a major concern, with drug syndicates focusing on the India-Nepal border due to the high demand for marijuana. The region now only produces synthetic drugs. Nepal had banned marijuana cultivation in 1976, but the demand for it remains high, with Bihar being the main market even before the ban.
The Indo-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship provides for an open border, but the United Nations has noted that this border is vulnerable to threats such as trafficking of persons, drugs, fake currency, and arms.
