The figures were announced by Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Tinku Roy during a state-level programme marking the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on Thursday.

According to the minister, the state witnessed a 102 per cent increase in narcotics seizures compared to 2024, when drugs worth around Rs 800 crore were recovered. He attributed the surge in seizures to the government's zero-tolerance policy against drug trafficking and coordinated operations carried out by police and other enforcement agencies across the state.

Roy said more than 1,000 narcotics-related cases have been registered over the past three years, while the conviction rate in such cases has also shown improvement. As part of the state's crackdown on illegal cultivation, authorities destroyed over 15 lakh ganja saplings during 2024.

Expressing concern over changing drug trafficking patterns, the minister observed that Tripura, once largely considered a transit route for narcotics, is increasingly emerging as a consumer market. He stressed that the shift has made the challenge more complex and called for sustained cooperation among enforcement agencies and the public to curb drug abuse.

Highlighting the government's rehabilitation efforts, Roy said a 200-bed de-addiction hospital is being established in Sepahijala district, while eight additional de-addiction centres with 50 beds each are under construction in different parts of the state. He also underlined the role of sports and youth engagement in steering young people away from substance abuse and promoting a healthy lifestyle.

The programme was attended by senior civil and police officials, including West Tripura District Magistrate Dr. Vishal Kumar, Superintendent of Police Namit Pathak, and representatives of various government departments involved in the state's anti-drug campaign.