According to data released by criminal justice programs, India is a main supplier of illegal narcotics to countries in South Asia.
The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) reported that drugs and ingredients from India’s pharmaceutical industry is diverted to the black market. The illicit pharmaceutical pills are either trafficked domestically or smuggled on to the global black market.
In addition to prescription drugs, India provides most of the heroin that is consumed in Bangladesh. Most of the cannabis that is consumed in Bangladesh and Nepal is also produced in India and smuggled across the border.
Most of the ephedrine and pseudoephedrine uses to make meth in Myanmar is believed to have originated from India as well.
The rate of opium seizures in India has grown in the last three years. In 2009, government security agencies seized about 1.7 tonnes of opium in India. In 2012, over 3 tonnes of opium was seized.
14 kilograms of cocaine was seized in India in 2011. In 2012, the amount of cocaine seized tripled to 42 kilograms.
(All prescription drug abuse statistics.)
Source: “Prescription drug abuse growing in India: UN report,” Indian Express, March 5, 2014.
In 2013, security services in Nepal arrested 129 people who were foreign nationals within the country who were trafficking drugs. The Nepalese Narcotics Bureau state that a large portion of the drugs used within the country takes place by foreign tourists visiting Katmandu, with the primary drug used being marijuana.
During the year, government security officials seized 25 tonnes of cannabis in Nepal.
The black market price of marijuana in Katmandu is reported to be about $70 for a kilogram (7,000 Nepali Rupees), which is around one-tenth the price of a kilo when compared to Western countries.
(More prices of marijuana around the world.)
Source: “Foreign Drug Users Find Paradise In Nepal,” Bernama, December 30, 2013.
Between 2009 and 2012, security services in India arrested 820 foreign nationals for drug trafficking crimes. Nearly 80 percent of those arrested came from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Nepal and Nigeria.
In the four year time period, data from criminal justice programs shows that 224 Nepalis were arrested for drug trafficking in India, followed by 191 Nigerians, 173 people from Myanmar and 32 people from Afghanistan.
The top drugs trafficked by the foreign nationals included marijuana and hashish, followed by heroin and cocaine.
Source: Chethan Kumar, “Papa Joes thrive despite tough measures against drug cartels,” Times of India, December 20, 2013.
In the first six months of 2013, police in Nepal seized 69 kilograms of gold. Most of the gold was smuggled into the country from Tibet, with the final destination of India.
In all of 2012, police seized 18 kilograms of gold in Nepal. Security agencies believe that only 10 percent of the gold smuggled into Nepal is confiscated.
The rise in gold smuggling is due to the high demand for gold in India and China, as well as an increase in duties for gold bullion.
Source: AFP, “Nepal’s smugglers cash in on India’s love of gold,” Bangkok Post, September 4, 2013.
According to security services, intelligence suggests that up to 40 kilograms of gold is smuggled into Nepal each day from China.
The gold eventually is smuggled into India.
Source: “35 kg gold seized‚ four smugglers held,” Himalayan Times, July 10, 2013.
The President of the Nepal Youth Foundation estimates that as of June 2013, there are around 500 girls who are trapped as indentured servants in Nepal.
The organization reported that they have rescued 12.500 girls from what is called kamlari in the country.
Source: Rob Verger, “Protecting Nepal’s Vulnerable Girls,” Daily Beast, June 12, 2013.
According to a study by the International Labor Organization, there are between 12,000 to 15,000 women who fall victim to human trafficking in Nepal each year.
Out of the total estimated number of victims, no more than 180 cases of human trafficking is reported in the country each year.
It was previously reported that human traffickers were selling Nepali women in Mumbai for $975.
(Price of human traffickers worldwide.)
Source: Sue-Lin Wong, “From Nepal, a Push to End Human Trafficking,” New York Times, IHT Rendezvous, June 18, 2013.
Police stationed at Tribhuwan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal handled 43 cases of human trafficking between September 2012 to May 2013.
The traffickers have been using tourist visas to send women to countries such as Tanzania, Iraq, India and various countries in the Gulf.
(More security issues in Nepal.)
Source: “Human trafficking continues unabated,” Himalayan Times, June 13, 2013.
The Nepalese Narcotics Control Bureau reported statistics that showed police in the country seized 47 tonnes of cannabis in 2012. The amount of cannabis seized in 2012 was nearly 30 percent higher than the previous year.
Along with marijuana, heroin and opium from Afghanistan and Pakistan has been smuggled into Nepal on its way to other destinations such as India
(Marijuana price per gram worldwide.)
Source: Anbarasan Ethirajan, “Nepal steps up battle against drug traffickers,” BBC News, April 4, 2013.
The cost to buy a Nepali passport on the black market is reported to be $1,740 (150,000 Nepali Rupee). If a legitimate visa is included with the fake passport, then the price rises to $6,961 (600,000 Rupees).
The passports are reportedly bought by Bangladeshi nationals who use it to increase their chances of obtain employment. In addition, drug traffickers and wildlife traffickers occasionally buy Nepali passports to hide their identity.
(More information about the passport black market.)
Source: “Nepal emerging as ‘regional hub for human trafficking’,” eKantipur.com, February 24, 2013.
