Introductory Memo
For years, Captagon has been linked to war zones, terror networks, and smuggling routes across West Asia. For the first time, India has seized the controversial drug under ‘Operation Ragepill’. Some inputs have raised concerns of global narco-terror networks using the country as a transit hub.
Already, India is battling a growing drug crisis. Security agencies have been repeatedly warning about narco-networks targeting the country’s youth. For years, investigators have alleged that Pakistan-backed smuggling channels have been trying to poison Indian society through drugs, especially in border regions.
To counter this threat, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has announced the vision of making India drug-free by 2047. The Narcotics Control Bureau seizing Captagon for the first time on Indian soil is a major step in that direction. But, one really needs to know why Captagon is called the ‘Jihadi Drug’. Why should its presence be a matter of concern for India?