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Over 6,000 kg of meth worth Rs 36,000 crore destroyed in Andamans

March 14, 2026 5 min read Internal Security GS3 (Internal Security Narco-terrorism Border Management)
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What Happened

  • The Andaman and Nicobar Police completed the destruction of more than 6,003 kg of methamphetamine (crystal meth) valued at approximately Rs 36,000 crore in the international drug market.
  • The phased disposal operation ran from June 26, 2025 to March 12, 2026 at the incineration facility of INHS Dhanvantri at Minnie Bay, under the supervision of a high-level drug disposal committee.
  • The drugs were seized by the Indian Coast Guard on November 23, 2024, when a vessel with six Myanmarese crew members was intercepted in Indian waters near the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
  • The seizure — approximately 6,000 kg packed in around 1,500 packets — is believed to be the largest single seizure and destruction operation of its kind in India.
  • The operation's success was partly attributed to assistance from Onge tribal Home Guards stationed in Little Andaman, who were felicitated by the Director General of Police.

Static Topic Bridges

India as a Transit Point — The Golden Triangle Drug Route

India occupies a geographically exposed position between two of the world's most prolific illicit drug-producing regions: the Golden Triangle (Myanmar, Laos, Thailand) and the Golden Crescent (Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran). The Andaman and Nicobar Islands, situated in the Bay of Bengal, lie along maritime drug trafficking routes from Myanmar's Shan State — the world's largest methamphetamine production zone — to Southeast Asia, South Asia, and beyond. Traffickers use fishing vessels and small merchant ships to move drugs through Indian maritime zones, exploiting the vast and sparsely patrolled sea areas around the archipelago.

  • The Golden Triangle (Myanmar-Laos-Thailand) is the primary source of Southeast Asian methamphetamine; Myanmar's Shan State alone produces an estimated 80-90% of regional supply.
  • Andaman and Nicobar Islands span 572 islands across 8,250 sq km of land but are surrounded by approximately 600,000 sq km of exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
  • The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) patrols India's EEZ and maritime security zones under the Coast Guard Act, 1978.
  • Drug trafficking via maritime routes is governed by the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS Act).

Connection to this news: The November 2024 interception of the Myanmarese vessel carrying the drugs demonstrates the Indian Coast Guard's counter-narcotics patrolling effectiveness, and the Andaman chain's vulnerability as a waypoint on the Golden Triangle trafficking route.

The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985 is India's principal anti-drug law. It prohibits the production, manufacture, possession, sale, purchase, transport, and consumption of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances except for medical and scientific purposes. Methamphetamine is a psychotropic substance covered under the Act. The Act provides for mandatory minimum sentences — the death penalty is possible for offences involving large commercial quantities of certain drugs (though courts have rarely imposed it). Section 52A of the NDPS Act allows for the disposal (including destruction) of seized drugs by order of the Magistrate, subject to procedure to preserve samples as evidence.

  • NDPS Act, 1985: Enacted to fulfil obligations under the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs (1961) and the Convention on Psychotropic Substances (1971).
  • "Commercial quantity" for methamphetamine: 500 grams or more triggers the highest penalties.
  • Section 52A procedure: The government can apply to a Magistrate for destruction of seized drugs after drawing representative samples.
  • The high-level drug disposal committee supervising the March 2026 destruction at INHS Dhanvantri followed the NDPS Act disposal procedure.
  • Incineration at a certified medical/pharmaceutical facility (INHS Dhanvantri — a naval hospital) ensured environmentally controlled destruction.

Connection to this news: The disposal operation followed the NDPS Act's Section 52A procedure, with the high-level committee ensuring legal compliance while destroying drugs that would otherwise pose storage, diversion, and security risks.

Andaman and Nicobar Islands — Strategic Location and Security Significance

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are a strategically vital Union Territory administered directly by the Centre. Located in the eastern Bay of Bengal, they command the Six Degree Channel and Ten Degree Channel — key maritime chokepoints through which a large proportion of global shipping passes. The islands host the Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC), India's only tri-services command (Army, Navy, Air Force integrated), established in 2001. The Onge are one of the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) of the islands, with a small population concentrated in Little Andaman.

  • Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC): India's first and only integrated theatre command; headquartered at Port Blair (now Sri Vijaya Puram).
  • The Six Degree Channel (between the Andamans and Car Nicobar) and Ten Degree Channel are among the world's most important sea lanes.
  • The islands' proximity to the Malacca Strait — through which 80% of China's oil imports pass — gives India significant strategic leverage.
  • Onge tribal Home Guards: Indigenous security volunteers from the Onge community; their assistance in the drug recovery demonstrates community engagement in coastal security.

Connection to this news: The Andaman and Nicobar Islands' strategic geography makes them both a drug trafficking risk zone and a critical node for interdiction; the Coast Guard-Police joint operation leverages the ANC's maritime domain awareness capabilities.

Key Facts & Data

  • Quantity destroyed: 6,003.55 kg methamphetamine (crystal meth).
  • Estimated international market value: Rs 36,000 crore.
  • Original seizure date: November 23, 2024, by Indian Coast Guard.
  • Vessel seized: Myanmarese fishing vessel with 6 Myanmarese crew; intercepted in Indian waters near A&N Islands.
  • Disposal period: June 26, 2025 to March 12, 2026.
  • Disposal location: INHS Dhanvantri incineration facility, Minnie Bay, Andaman.
  • Largest drug disposal operation in India's history.
  • Legal basis for disposal: Section 52A, NDPS Act, 1985.
  • Tribal community assistance: Onge tribal Home Guards from Little Andaman.
  • Drug source region: Golden Triangle (primarily Myanmar's Shan State).