BHAKTAPUR/SURKHET, July 10: Drug abuse, trafficking, and illegal trade have emerged as a serious national challenge in Nepal in recent years, with growing numbers of teenagers and young people falling into addiction. Authorities warn that the rising number of drug users and traffickers is becoming a major social concern, affecting communities across the country.
The increase is no longer limited to rural areas. Drug use has also been rising in urban centers, including Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur. Crime statistics linked to narcotics also point to a steady expansion of the illegal drug trade.
According to the Narcotics Control Bureau of Nepal Police, 14,466 drug-related cases were registered during the last three fiscal years, leading to the arrest of 22,615 people. Police have intensified crackdowns on traffickers and have, in some cases, resorted to the use of force during operations.
Between June 11, 2023, and April 25, 2026, police opened fire in 18 separate incidents while attempting to arrest suspected drug traffickers in different parts of the country. Bureau spokesperson Superintendent of Police Durga Regmi said 40 suspects were arrested in those operations. Police said officers used firearms only after suspects attacked them, attempted to seize weapons, or tried to escape, making force necessary for self-defense and arrest.
Drug-related crime has continued to rise each year. In fiscal year 2023/24, police registered 4,399 drug cases and arrested 6,715 people, including foreign nationals. The number climbed to 5,061 cases in fiscal year 2024/25, with 7,890 arrests. By mid-June of the current fiscal year 2025/26, police had already registered 5,006 cases and arrested 8,010 people.
Seizure records also indicate an increase in trafficking of high-value narcotics.
In fiscal year 2023/24, police seized 120.782 kilograms of cannabis, 56.601 kilograms of hashish, 3.273 kilograms of heroin, 12.898 kilograms of cocaine, 17,745 ampoules, 17,397 tablets, 289.89 grams of amphetamine, 91,200 milliliters of codeine syrup, and 29,161 capsules.
In fiscal year 2024/25, seizures included 255.174 kilograms of cannabis, 16.798 kilograms of heroin, 18.919 kilograms of cocaine, 38,934 ampoules, 28,964 tablets, 887,183 capsules, and 191 LSD blotters.
By April 27 of the current fiscal year, police had confiscated 186.4 kilograms of cannabis, 5.711 kilograms of hashish, 18.841 kilograms of heroin, 728 grams of opium, 4.59 kilograms of cocaine, 16,553 ampoules, more than 13,000 tablets, and 241 grams of amphetamine.
Cooperation for trade
Cross-border affairs
Police records show that large quantities of narcotics are being seized in the southern Tarai districts bordering India, highlighting the cross-border nature of the drug trade. Officials say the figures suggest that drug-related crime is becoming more organized and increasingly complex.
The Ministry of Home Affairs says the number of drug users in Nepal has been rising steadily for two decades. A government survey found 46,309 drug users in 2006. The number almost doubled to 91,134 by 2012.
A nationwide study conducted in 2020 estimated that Nepal had around 130,424 drug users. Based on an annual growth rate of more than 5 percent, authorities estimate that the number has now exceeded 190,000.
Suman Ghimire, chief of the Narcotics Control Branch at the Ministry of Home Affairs, said the government has been implementing legal, policy, and program-based measures to reduce drug use, trafficking, and illegal trade across the country. He said Nepal continues to strengthen laws, prevention programs, awareness campaigns, and coordination among security agencies to address the growing problem.
Despite intensified enforcement, officials acknowledge that policing alone cannot solve the crisis. They say stronger cooperation among government agencies, schools, families, local communities, and neighboring countries will be essential to curb drug abuse and dismantle trafficking networks.
Nepal is stepping up efforts to tackle drug abuse and trafficking through stronger laws, prevention programs, and rehabilitation services, but experts warn that arrests alone will not solve a problem that has become a growing public health and security challenge.
The government says it is enforcing the Narcotic Drugs (Control) Act, 1976 while implementing the National Drug Control Policy, 2006, the National Drug Control Strategy, 2009, and the National Drug Prevention and Control Master Plan, 2022 to 2027. The master plan adopts a multi-sector approach, combining legal action with education, healthcare, community participation, and social support to address the problem over the long term.
Bagmati has highest drug users
Government surveys show Bagmati Province has the country's highest concentration of drug users, accounting for 28 percent of the national total. Most users fall within the 20 to 29 age group, raising concerns over the impact on Nepal's future workforce, public health, and economic growth.
Officials say treatment, rehabilitation, awareness campaigns, and youth focused intervention programs must be expanded to prevent more young people from falling into addiction.
Prashant Sharma, president of the Federation of Drug Demand Reduction, a national umbrella body of organizations working in treatment, rehabilitation, and prevention, said drug abuse has evolved into a national social, health, economic, and security challenge.
"What was once concentrated in a few major cities has now spread to rural communities," Sharma said. "The long term impact extends beyond individuals. It weakens families, reduces productivity, and affects social stability."
He warned that rising drug use among young people threatens Nepal's human capital and future development.
"The prosperity of any country depends on the physical, mental, and moral wellbeing of its youth. If the productive age group continues to fall into addiction, Nepal risks losing skilled workers, economic output, social harmony, and even national security," he said.
Experts say drug addiction is contributing to family breakdown, domestic violence, unemployment, school dropouts, mental health disorders, crime, and social exclusion. They also point to the increasing availability of synthetic drugs, prescription drug abuse, and new psychoactive substances, making the challenge more complex than before.
The Nepal Police say drug abuse has become one of the biggest security concerns in the Kathmandu Valley. Specialists attribute the growing trend to peer pressure, unemployment, family conflict, mental stress, harmful social media influence, and the easy availability of narcotics.
Many people undergoing treatment at rehabilitation centers in Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur are between 16 and 35 years old. According to rehabilitation centers and medical professionals, many patients report that they first experimented with drugs while studying in school or college under the influence of friends.
Police say traffickers have increasingly resisted arrest by attacking officers, attempting to seize weapons, or trying to flee, forcing officers to use firearms in some operations. Although police have seized large quantities of narcotics and arrested thousands of suspects, the steady rise in cases shows that trafficking networks continue to expand.
The growing seizure of high-value drugs such as heroin, cocaine, and LSD has also raised concerns that Nepal could increasingly be used as a transit route for international drug trafficking.
Studies on drug control in Nepal conclude that legal action alone cannot curb the crisis. Researchers recommend introducing life skills education in schools, expanding mental health services, strengthening rehabilitation centers, tightening surveillance along international borders, and increasing community participation.
Police alone cannot control drugs
Security officials stress that controlling drugs cannot be left to police alone. Families, schools, local governments, healthcare institutions, civil society, and communities all have a role to play in protecting young people from addiction.
Experts also say early counseling, treatment, and rehabilitation should receive as much attention as law enforcement, as timely intervention offers the best chance of preventing long-term addiction.
Recognizing the growing threat, the Bagmati Provincial Government has included drug abuse prevention, youth health, and social protection in its Second Periodic Plan. Local governments in Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur have also launched school awareness campaigns, parent education programs, and community policing initiatives. Despite these efforts, drug abuse and trafficking continue to rise.
Security analysts say Nepal will only be able to make lasting progress through a balanced strategy that combines stronger border surveillance, international cooperation, public awareness, treatment, rehabilitation, and strict law enforcement. Without coordinated action, they warn, the country's drug problem is likely to worsen.
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