SOCIO ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF NARCOTIC TRAFFICKING
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29121/shodhkosh.v5.i5.2024.4949Keywords:
Narcotic Trafficking, Economic Development, Organized Crime, Punjab Drug Crisis, Haryana Drug Trafficking, Chemist Role, Social Instability, Illicit Drug Economy, Law Enforcement, PoliciesAbstract [English]
Socio-economic problems linked to narcotic trafficking become most severe in areas where drug abuse rates are high. This study examines the impact narcotic trafficking imposes on economic growth and criminal activity and local social organizations in specific countries. The establishment of illegal drug markets deforms lawful business operations, generates increased corruption, decays institutional structures. These factors ultimately reduce both economic output and governmental operational effectiveness. The increasing crime rates with their components such as organized crime and money laundering along with violent offenses create difficulties for law enforcement agencies which overloads the judicial system while producing social instability.
Thorough research into Punjab and Haryana shows how extensively narcotic trafficking affects these states in both economic and social aspects. The agricultural areas of Punjab and Haryana have become subject to unauthorized drug traffic which reduces worker performance and creates financial problems through drug dependency. The distribution chain of pharmaceutical opioids through chemists creates a problem because regulatory failures occur when drugs divert to illegal consumers. Narcotic crime proliferation through smuggling networks with drug-related violence has created a critical socio-legal situation that affects young populations and public health standards.
This paper elaborates on narcotic trafficking's effects on political systems plus police departments and drug recovery programs while stressing that addressing drug misuse requires various approaches to defeat economic drug consequences. Solving these problems needs governments to establish strict rules and work together internationally and run awareness programs with community-based rehabilitation initiatives. Implementation of robust policies with socio-economic reform measures represents the necessary approach to limit long-term drug trafficking impacts in Punjab and Haryana and similar affected areas.
References
State of Punjab v. Balbir Singh, (1994) 3 SCC 299 (India).
Gurbaksh Singh Sibbia v. State of Punjab, (1980) 2 SCC 565 (India).
State of Maharashtra v. Bharat Shanti Lal Shah, (2008) 13 SCC 5 (India).
Union of India v. Kuldeep Singh, (2004) 2 SCC 590 (India).
Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, No. 61 of 1985, Acts of Parliament, 1985 (India).
Code of Criminal Procedure, No. 2 of 1974, Acts of Parliament, 1973 (India).
CrPC § 102 (India) (Seizure of property from illegal activities).
CrPC § 154 (India) (Mandatory FIR registration for drug trafficking).
CrPC § 167 (India) (Procedure for remand in drug-related cases).
CrPC § 197 (India) (Protection of government officials prosecuting drug-related offenses).
CrPC §§ 451 & 457 (India) (Disposal of confiscated property).
P.S.A. Pillai, Criminal Law (14th ed. LexisNexis 2022).
V. Venkatesan, Drug Laws in India: A Critical Analysis (EBC 2021).
K. Iyer, Narco-Terrorism and the Law (Thomson Reuters 2020).
Journal Articles
Rahul Sharma, Impact of Narcotic Trade on India's Economy, 56 J. Indian L. & Soc’y 245 (2023).
Anjali Mehta, Drug Trafficking in India: A Legal and Social Perspective, 34 Nat’l L. Sch. Rev. 378 (2022).
Vivek Raj, Criminal Justice System and Narcotics Control, 67 Indian J. Crim. L. 126 (2021).
S. Kumar, The Role of Organized Crime in Drug Trafficking, 42 Int’l J. Crime & Pol’y 89 (2020).
Priya Verma, Pharmaceutical Opioids and Regulatory Failures in India, 19 Indian J. Pub. Health Pol’y & L. 67 (2023).
Reports & Government Publications
Nat’l Crime Records Bureau, Crime in India Report 2022, Ministry of Home Affairs (2023).
Narcotics Control Bureau, Annual Report on Drug Trafficking in India 2021-22 (2022).
U.N. Off. on Drugs & Crime, World Drug Report 2023, UNODC (2023).
Fin. Intelligence Unit-India, Illicit Drug Money and Money Laundering: A Study (2022).
Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction, https://socialjustice.nic.in (last visited Mar. 30, 2025).
Narcotics Control Bureau, Statistics on Drug Seizures in India, https://narcoticsindia.nic.in (last visited Mar. 30, 2025).
. U.N. Off. on Drugs & Crime, Drug Trafficking Routes in South Asia, https://unodc.org (last visited Mar. 30, 2025).
Enforcement Directorate, Anti-Money Laundering Measures and Drug Trafficking, https://enforcementdirectorate.gov.in (last visited Mar. 30, 2025).
Indian Journal of Criminology, The Economics of Narcotic Trade in India, https://ijcriminology.org (last visited Mar. 30, 2025).
Drug Trafficking in Punjab: A Growing Crisis, The Hindu (Jan. 12, 2024), https://thehindu.com .
Legal Challenges in Prosecuting Drug Offenders, Bar & Bench (Dec. 5, 2023), https://barandbench.com .
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Narinder Singh Dhir, Dr. Shobhna Jeet

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
With the licence CC-BY, authors retain the copyright, allowing anyone to download, reuse, re-print, modify, distribute, and/or copy their contribution. The work must be properly attributed to its author.
It is not necessary to ask for further permission from the author or journal board.
This journal provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge.