NDPS Act, 1985
India's Narcotics Control Legal Framework
The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985 is the primary legislation governing drug offences in India.
- Enacted in 1985, the NDPS Act bans production, manufacture, possession, sale, purchase, transport, import, and export of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.
- The 1985 Act banned poppy cultivation in Punjab — historically a significant source of opium — forcing the drug economy underground and creating demand for imported heroin from the Golden Crescent (Afghanistan-Pakistan-Iran).
- Punishments under NDPS Act: For commercial quantity of heroin (more than 250 grams), the minimum punishment is 10 years rigorous imprisonment and minimum fine of Rs. 1 lakh; maximum is 20 years and Rs. 2 lakh.
- Small quantity: maximum 6 months imprisonment or Rs. 10,000 fine. Intermediate quantity: 10 years imprisonment. Commercial quantity: 10-20 years.
- Section 67 of NDPS Act allows officers to record statements — and unlike under CrPC, these are admissible as evidence in court.
- The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), under the Ministry of Home Affairs, is the apex federal body for coordination and intelligence under NDPS.
● Tracked since February 22, 2026 · last seen June 27, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
See it in today’s brief.
Daily current affairs with every static concept explained in place.
Read the daily brief