Punjab and Haryana HC flags alarming shift to cocaine, heroin

Expressing grave concern over the spiralling drug menace, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has flagged a dangerous shift in substance abuse trends—from traditional narcotics to highly potent manufactured drugs like cocaine and heroin.

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Justice Sumeet Goel warned that the crisis is no longer confined to personal addiction but had begun to threaten public order, national security, and the rule of law itself. “It is the considered view of this Court that cases pertaining to the drug menace, especially those involving manufactured drugs, must be dealt with the utmost strictness and resolve,” the High Court declared.

Referring to intricate international networks and organized crime syndicates fuelling drug trafficking, the court linked it not only to rising violent and petty crime by desperate addicts, but also to widespread corruption and money laundering that eroded governance.

Highlighting colossal economic costs in healthcare, productivity losses, and law enforcement resources, the court held that cases involving such manufactured drugs demand the strictest judicial response. Justice Goel asserted that the NDPS Act’s stringent provisions reflected a clear legislative intent to deter the scourge, adding that any leniency would undermine efforts to protect society and embolden those who profit from human suffering.

“It is with profound concern that this court takes judicial notice of the escalating drug menace that plagues our society, posing an insidious threat to public order, health, and the very fabric of the nation,” the Bench observed.

Justice Goel added substance abuse had long been a challenge but “the proliferation and consumption of manufactured drugs, particularly cocaine and heroin, had exacerbated the crisis to an alarming degree, demanding an unequivocally stringent response from all pillars of the State, not least the judiciary.”

Justice Goel noted a “discernible and alarming shift in the landscape of drug abuse towards these highly potent and illicitly manufactured substances,” while cautioning that “the intricate international networks and clandestine operations involved in the production and distribution of these narcotics underscored the deep-rooted involvement of organized criminal elements, thereby transforming drug trafficking into an affront to national security and the rule of law.”

Justice Goel also pointed at the direct link between drug addiction and spiralling crime. “Furthermore, this court cannot overlook the undeniable nexus between drug addiction and the alarming surge in criminal activities. Desperate addicts frequently resort to petty and violent crimes to sustain their habits, thereby contributing directly to increased lawlessness and insecurity,” the court observed.

Justice Goel added the illicit drug trade beyond fuelling violence was “a primary driver of organized crime, corruption, and money laundering, fundamentally undermining the integrity of governance and the rule of law.” The economic toll was enormous, with “colossal” costs incurred in healthcare, lost productivity, and substantial allocations for law enforcement and judicial resources.