Guwahati, Jan 2: Security forces in Assam have seized narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances worth Rs 2,919 crore over the last five years, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Thursday, citing official data on anti-narcotics operations in the state.

According to the chief minister, the value of drug seizures during this period marks a significant rise compared to about Rs 400 crore seized between 2011 and 2015. He said that since May 2021, authorities have also destroyed drugs and psychotropic substances valued at Rs 2,170 crore.

Providing year-wise figures, Sarma said seizures amounted to Rs 383.64 crore in 2021, Rs 735.54 crore in 2022, Rs 722.55 crore in 2023, Rs 658.76 crore in 2024, and Rs 419.47 crore in 2025 so far. In 2025 alone, security agencies seized 87 kg of heroin, 13,812 kg of ganja, about 27.27 lakh psychotropic tablets, 1.26 lakh bottles of cough syrup, 209 kg of opium, and 48 kg of morphine.

The chief minister said more than 23,000 people have been arrested in drug-related cases since 2021, compared to around 6,000 arrests recorded between 2011 and 2021. In 2025, a total of 3,013 NDPS cases were registered, leading to 4,453 arrests.

He also noted that in 2022, authorities destroyed opium cultivation spread over more than 633 bighas of land as part of enforcement efforts. According to the data shared, the crime rate per lakh population declined from 379 in 2021 to 123.9 as of October this year.

In a related update, Sarma said the state government has recovered around 1.45 lakh bighas of encroached land, including about 1.1 lakh bighas from wildlife sanctuaries, national parks, and reserved forest areas.