Will bulldoze houses of drug peddlers, over 300 foreign nationals deported after being caught for drug peddling: Karnataka Home Minister Parameshwara

Responding to a question by MLC K Abdul Jabbar, the minister said, “A lot of foreign nationals, especially people from African countries, have been caught smuggling and peddling drugs. We don’t know how they bring it in or supply it. We are monitoring their movements and have also identified the landlords who have rented houses to these people. Recently, we have gone to the extent of bulldozing the houses where the drug peddlers are on rent.”

Abdul Jabbar raised his concerns that the drugs are being supplied to the minors in Davangere and demanded that the police officials be transferred and new staff be brought in.

“Many of these police personnel have been working for 15-20 years. Even if the police are planning to conduct raids, they get messages from the insiders of the department,” he added.

Admitting that there is manufacturing, smuggling and peddling of drugs, the minister said, “the production, sale, and consumption of narcotics are increasing day by day globally. The sale of narcotics has transformed into a highly profitable business for sellers. Interstate and international networks are operating for enormous profits. Since these networks are active in almost all countries worldwide, this drug problem has become universal.”

Speaking about foreign nationals who are part of it, he said, “Some of the foreign nationals who were caught in drug peddling are happy to be caught, which makes them overstaying in India as they face court cases (despite being overstaying). We are ensuring they are being deported. However, it is tedious, as embassies/consulates are involved in deporting them. We have deported about 300 foreign nationals.”

“This is a constant effort that the police department is making, and they are also visiting schools and colleges across the state to create awareness. In one day in Bengaluru, the police visited 1,000 education institutions, and we will continue to do it,” he said.

If any police officer is found to be involved with a drug cartel, we will not just suspend but book them and dismiss them from their service, he said.

Drug cases: what the numbers say

According to the home department data, 4,168 cases were registered in 2024 and 1,833 were convicted and 2,214 are pending trial. In 2025, the numbers increased to 5,747 cases across the state, and 1,079 were convicted, and 3,414 are pending before the trial.

According to Bengaluru city police data shared in the first week of December, Bengaluru reported 1,078 drug-related offences, arresting 1,543 persons, including 52 foreign nationals and seizure of 1,446.75kg drugs worth Rs 160 crore.

Parameshwara said an Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) has been established under the Additional Director General of Police to combat and prevent the spread of narcotics in the state. This is the country’s first task force dedicated exclusively to combating drugs, and it is visiting all the districts.

Surprise visits are conducted to parcel services, courier centres, resorts, and farmhouses, and special patrolling is carried out to prevent drug parties in urban outskirts. All unit officers are informed to conduct district-level National Narcotics Coordination Portal (NCORD) meetings every month, he said.

The Home Minister explained that instructions are also given to all unit officers through video conferencing to take strict action under the NDPS Act if suspicious persons are found involved in the sale and production of narcotics.