More than 70 per cent of the globe is covered by Oceans, which are playing a significant role in climate change, war, geopolitics and maritime security. Most of the crimes including illegal fishing, human-weapon-drug trafficking and pirate attacks are happening in the Oceans. The Indian Ocean, home to an incredible array of marine flora and fauna is also home to many trade routes that support economies all across the world. The Indian Ocean acts as an access point for crucial water routes like the Suez Canal, the Cape of Good Hope, the Red Sea and the Strait of Malacca. Many industry-supporting goods are constantly being shipped across the globe through the Indian Ocean. Mineral resources like iron ore and energy resources such as coal and plantation crops, namely, rubber and tea, are a few of the major goods which move through the Indian Ocean. India, Australia and Africa are the major exporters of Iron and coal and this mineral is taken in majority by the Japanese archipelago, coal is exported to the United Kingdom from Australia through this great ocean. Petroleum and other minerals like manganese, chromite, etc are also mined in this ocean. This ocean is responsible for around 13% of all trade happening in the world. Other than being an important part of international water trade, The Indian Ocean is also harbouring rampant drug trade and many other illicit activities, dealing in a multitude of narcotics and other contraband, and the increase of such activities in the waters is posing a great threat to many countries that bound the Indian Ocean.
Why the Indian Ocean?
The Indian Ocean is ‘favourable’ for this activity as it is part of the International Sea Waters over which no state or party has authority except for a stretch of a few nautical miles for each country from their borders which are in contact with the oceanic water as part of the UNCLOS and it makes it difficult to establish any specific control over the region apart from a few maritime laws that all international parties have agreed upon, but, due to the absence of constant checks and the difficulties that such unstable waters put forward, it makes total, flawless control over the ocean virtually impossible, causing cracks in the system, and many activities like piracy, Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, arms trade, human trafficking and most rampant of all, drug trafficking. Smugglers exploit these cracks in the system to swiftly traffic drugs to and fro different countries, not just the countries that bound the Indian Ocean, but many countries across the world which are connected through different waterways.
The Indian Ocean geographically borders 3 continents-Asia, Africa and Australia giving access to countries across these regions. Even though the coast guards are responsible for inspecting the high volume of traffic that passes through the Indian Ocean, inspecting every vessel isn’t either technically feasible or strict actions such as arresting those responsible happen due to jurisdiction challenges that arise leaving them no choice except for seizing their goods.
Major Trafficking Routes
The primary drug-producing regions, which are part of the ‘smack tracks’ which are the routes or paths taken to smuggle heroin and remain a critical component in the export of drugs, mainly from countries in the Golden Crescent and Golden Triangle which are further smuggled to other states.
Golden Crescent: It is the name given to one of the epicentre areas which are responsible for the production of illicit opiates. The countries that fall under this category are Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran. Afghanistan and Pakistan play the role of primary drug producers in this area and Iran acts as the dissemination zone where the contraband is smuggled to different parts of the world. This smuggling is done mainly through three routes – the Balkan route which passes through Central and Western Europe via the Islamic Republic of Iran and Turkey, the Southern route which extends to the Gulf region, Africa, and South Asia via Pakistan and Iran and The Northern route, passing through Central Asia to the Russian Federation and Eastern Europe.
Reports suggest that around 60%-70% of contraband that comes to India through the sea, can be traced back to the Golden Crescent route. In 2021, there was a case where more than 3,000 kg of illicit drugs from Afghanistan were seized at Gujarat’s Mundra port, making it the biggest drug bust in India.
Golden Triangle: This area consists of Myanmar, Thailand and Laos. In this region currently, Myanmar acts as the sole and primary producer of opium and other opiate drugs. While Thailand has almost completely stopped the production of opium, Laso is still active in cultivation, but on a smaller scale compared to Myanmar. The Burmese region is one of the largest opium and heroin producers along with synthetic drugs, exporting to other parts of the world.
Ever since the military in Myanmar overthrew the government and established military rule, the state has seen an increase in the production of opiates as many citizens are almost forced to go back to being a part of the production system as there aren’t any other means of livelihood for them which can be as profiting as the drug trade. There has also been a clear surge in the production of such contraband among organised crime groups as it is only a means of expanding their business and the absence of adequate law and order in the country amidst all this political instability, which gives them open ground to run amok with their illegal activities without much restrictions. They further infiltrate other states that have instability, chaos and war-torn borders.,
Countermeasures
Governments around the Indian Ocean have formed partnerships and collaborations to counter illicit drug trafficking in the ocean through various agreements and enforcing laws. Regional organisations such as the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), recognise the importance of addressing and resolving non-traditional security challenges such as drug trafficking through strategic collaborations, enforcing protocols and strengthening intelligence sharing among member states. Another practical action they consider is to seize the vessels carrying the narcotics sailing through the Indian Ocean. The UNODC, which stands for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, under its Global Maritime Programme, organises the annual Southern Route Partnership Meeting, which is a collaboration forum for nations that bound the Indian Ocean and other international partners, to come up with strategies, plans and protocols to fight against drug trafficking in the Indian Ocean region. Established under the Indian Ocean Forum on Maritime Crime (IOFMC), the Southern Route Partnership provides a platform which encourages global cooperation and coordination among national drug enforcement agencies, international organisations and other parties in the Indian Ocean region. The UNODC also supports regional countries in improving the legal proceedings and prosecutions of drug trafficking by conducting simulated trials and providing in-country mentorship. Furthermore, In India, the Indian Coast Guard has been granted the authority under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) to intervene in the trading of drugs at sea.
Conclusion
Drug trade is an existence that will not cease to function as long as there is demand. If people need the merchandise that these organisations produce, that is enough of an incentive for the producers to traffic such narcotics and prey upon the affected people’s vulnerabilities. The protocols and agreements made by the governments that bound the Indian Ocean are a step in the right direction to curb the number of narcotics that are moving through the oceanic waters, but this alone will not be enough. Spreading information and awareness of the aftereffects and severe health issues that are caused by such narcotics is also very necessary. The lack of need for contraband in people cuts off the consumer side of this whole trade cycle.
Cooperation between states, helping victims of substance abuse instead of ostracising them and providing them with ample infrastructure and support to rehabilitate from such abusive narcotics will make the necessary change needed in the fight against drugs. Drugs and narcotics are not an issue that just affects individuals, they affect countries and the world as a whole, therefore, cooperation is crucial to curb the spread and eradicate drug trafficking.