More Punjabis were found to be trafficking narcotics than consuming them, according to the latest countrywide analytical report of 2023 released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).

Punjab topped the country with the highest proportion of drug smuggling cases — 25.3 cases per lakh population. In contrast, cases of drug use stood at 12.4 per lakh, showing a clear tilt towards trafficking rather than consumption.

The state also witnessed the highest number of drug overdose deaths in India for the second year in a row, with 89 fatalities, though this was a decline from 144 deaths the previous year. Madhya Pradesh was second with 85 deaths and Rajasthan with 84 deaths in the same year. The national total for drug overdose deaths in 2023 was 654.

In a striking revelation, neighbourin

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