Unless structural reforms are introduced in investigation, data integration, inter-agency coordination, and institutional capacity, the objective of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act cannot be effectively achieved, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has said while issuing suggestions in this regard to the authorities.

The court noted that a substantial number of cases originated from Madurai, Theni and Dindigul districts. Approximately more than 50% of the cases reported in Tamil Nadu were arising out of these districts.

Justice B. Pugalendhi said the investigation in cases under the NDPS Act should mandatorily include financial investigation into the proceeds of crime and the forfeiture of illegal properties under Chapter V-A of the NDPS Act and should not be confined merely to seizure and arrest.

The court said financial investigation should extend to both commercial and intermediate quantities of narcotic and psychotropic substances. The authorities should, in appropriate cases, initiate proceedings under Chapter V-A of the NDPS Act for identification, attachment and forfeiture of the illegally acquired properties. The Director General of Police should issue comprehensive standing instructions mandating financial profiling of accused persons, systematic asset tracing, and effective coordination with banks and financial institutions, the court said.

The State should strengthen specialised agencies such as NIB-CID by filling vacancies on priority, augmenting sanctioned strength commensurate with workload, and ensuring that adequately equipped and functional units are established across the districts and major urban centres. Dedicated manpower should be provided for intelligence processing and tracking the online networks of drug traffickers, the court said.

The court said a structured coordination mechanism should be developed with Village Administrative Officers in Madurai, Theni and Dindigul districts in respect of accused persons hailing from these districts but residing in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Odisha. A comprehensive database should be created, and their movements should be kept under continuous watch.

A dedicated dashboard for the NIB-CID reflecting the number of cases registered and status of investigations should be designed by the State Crime Records Bureau. A separate platform should be created within the CCTNS platform to enable real-time access to case data, accused details, and investigation status of NDPS cases, the court said.

The court said every case registered should be automatically and contemporaneously reflected in the CCTNS system and brought to the notice of the NIB-CID unit, so as to ensure coordinated monitoring, intelligence sharing, and appropriate intervention.

The court said law enforcement agencies in the State should strengthen inter-State coordination with law enforcement agencies of neighbouring and source States through structured intelligence-sharing mechanisms, and should also enhance surveillance and interception, particularly along transit routes, including railway corridors.

The efficacy of the NDPS regime lies not merely in the enforcement, but in the ability of the system to anticipate, coordinate, and dismantle the structures that sustain the offence. Mere seizure-and-arrest approach will not suffice to combat the menace of drug trafficking. Unless the economic foundations of such criminal activities are dismantled, enforcement efforts will remain ineffective and the aim of a drugs free society cannot be achieved, the court said disposing of petitions filed by accused seeking suspension of sentences.