Hyderabad a drug trafficking hotspot despite intense raids

Despite raids by Hyderabad Police and Excise authorities, the city remains a major hub for drug trafficking. Marijuana, synthetic drugs, and opium are smuggled through multiple routes, exploiting Hyderabad’s connectivity, urban nightlife, and strategic location

Hyderabad: Despite series of raids by the Hyderabad Narcotics Enforcement Wing (H-NEW), Eagle Task Force, and the Excise Department, drug control remains a major challenge in Telangana. Owing to its international transport connectivity, Hyderabad has become a strategic hub for trafficking and distribution of narcotic substances across India.

From here, drugs including cocaine, heroin, MDMA, and ecstasy pills are being supplied to various parts of the country. According to official sources, both traditional and synthetic drugs are flowing through multiple routes.

---

Large quantities of marijuana are smuggled from Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh into Telangana. The main route runs from these States via Kunta Junction, passing through Bhadrachalam, Mulugu, Warangal, Karimnagar, Jagtial, and Nirmal, eventually reaching Nanded in Maharashtra.

Another key route originates from Lambasingi, Tuni, Rajahmundry, Vijayawada, and travels through Suryapet and Nalgonda before reaching Hyderabad.

On the other hand, synthetic drugs such as MDMA, LSD, ecstasy pills are mainly sourced from Goa, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu, and transported to Hyderabad through road and rail networks. Apart from manufacturing synthetic drugs in different chemical and pharma companies in Hyderabad, they are also being smuggled from Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Chennai.

Opium-based substances from Rajasthan are entering Telangana through Adilabad, Nirmal, Nizamabad, Kamareddy, and Medak, bypassing check-posts and reaching local agents in Hyderabad.

Through coordinated operations, the law enforcement wings have identified and dismantled several drug syndicates operating from Goa and Bengaluru that were supplying narcotics to Hyderabad.

“Even with intensified raids and surveillance, drug peddling gangs are coming up with new smuggling routes and sophisticated international networks. We are changing our strategy accordingly and curbing them,” said a senior Hyderabad Police official.

Hyderabad’s central location, well-developed transport links, and urban nightlife continue to attract drug traffickers, forcing enforcement agencies to constantly evolve their strategies.

Worrisome trend

Statistics (2023–25):

*Cases registered: 2,298
*Arrests made: 6,546
*Drugs seized: 8,934 kg