In drugs crackdown, Gujarat police plan rejig of units, adoption of new methods – here’s how

The Gujarat Police plan to establish 41 new "Anti-Narcotics Wings" (ANWs) across the state, with at least one ANW in each of the 34 districts. These new units will serve as an additional force multiplier for the existing Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF), which was established in August 2025 to combat the sale, trafficking, and production of banned drugs. The Narcotics Cell within the CID Crime division was upgraded to the ANTF last year, with its strength increased from 34 to 211.

The ANWs will operate under the respective district or city police forces, which already possess Special Operations Groups (SOG) responsible for anti-drug investigations. Additional support will come from other police units, such as the Local Crime Branch, Prevention of Crime Branch, and local police stations handling NDPS Act cases.

Each ANW will be overseen by a joint or additional commissioner of police in urban areas, and a superintendent of police in rural areas. Staffing will consist of eight officers, including an Inspector and a Sub-inspector, although no additional hires will be made. The ANWs will prioritize drug-related cases exclusively, with prosecutions initiated in the jurisdictional police station where the raid occurs. Officers will face disciplinary action for negligence during investigations.

The ANWs will coordinate closely with the ANTF, as well as the six zonal police stations dedicated to the Narcotics Task Force, which will be established in Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Kutch (Border Range), and Gandhinagar. Regular reports on their activities will be submitted to the task force, similar to how cybercrime units report to the state Cybercrime Cell.

In addition to these new units, the Gujarat Police aims to address gaps in the investigation process of NDPS cases. This includes issues related to proof of chain of custody, possession with intent to distribute, and evidence of storage. The investigation team also hopes to improve personnel expertise, with the deployment of the Narcotics Analysis & RAG-based Investigation Tool (NARIT-AI).

This system, created by IPS officer Abhay Soni, provides real-time analytical support using legal provisions, case law, and investigative procedures to navigate complex narcotics cases.