A relentless crackdown against illicit drug trafficking in Assam led to the arrest of a record number of over 24,000 in the past five years. Official data highlights that illicit drugs worth Rs 3,000 crore have been seized over the past five years, which is seven times more than that seized during the five-year period from 2011-2015. The figures speak volumes about the hard work put in by Assam Police and various other law enforcement agencies. Yet, these figures also serve as a warning that the state is being targeted by drug traffickers both as a transit point and a market, which calls for increased vigilance. The arrest of such a huge number of drug trafficking gang members and peddlers calls for strengthening the criminal justice system in the state so that all the accused can be duly convicted. Forensic evidence, especially forensic laboratory reports on seized drugs, plays a crucial role in strengthening the case against the accused and their trial in court, leading to conviction and punishment. The states in the northeast region, including Assam, grappling with rising incidence of drug trafficking and drug addiction, can take cues from various steps initiated by the central government to increase conviction rates in drug trafficking cases. One such innovative measure is the e-Sakshya portal, which assists police in recording and managing evidence in criminal cases. The portal, according to information provided by the central government to Lok Sabha, aligns with new criminal laws aimed at modernizing the justice system, allows police officers to record the scene of a crime, including search and seizure activities, directly from their mobile phones and plays a crucial role in ensuring uniformity in investigations across states. The government expects that the conviction rates would improve through use of this digital application. Tracking digital payments is considered another important measure to curb illicit drug trafficking. The Ministry of Home Affairs has introduced the National Intelligence Grid, which allows authorized access to financial records such as tax, bank accounts, and suspicious transaction reports, enabling the investigating officers to trace money flow. Police officers in the states who are being trained to use this system for tracking suspected transactions can effectively target the financial transactions of drug traffickers, which are central to their illicit business. Another important digital platform that comes in handy for the police officers is the Sahyog Portal, designed and operated by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C). This portal offers a comprehensive platform for coordinating and executing enforcement actions related to Virtual Digital Assets Service providers’ platforms, facilitates secure data disclosure by these service providers, enables asset freezing and tracking, supports the transfer of seized assets to designated victim or official wallets, and provides a secure channel for communication and acknowledgement of court or competent authority orders. Financial institutions file suspicious transaction records to flag transactions related to drug trafficking, money laundering, terror financing, or other illicit activities through dedicated portals. The Central government has requested all stakeholders to prepare a three-year roadmap for the period 2026-2029, duly incorporating a time-bound review mechanism for its effective implementation with a whole-of-government approach to dismantle the entire drug network from source to distribution and tackle drug abuse to make India drug-free by 2029, the parliament was told. The states having their own comprehensive roadmap will be critical to achieving the national goal. The seizure of a huge volume of illicit drugs in the state also led to the detection of the harsh realities of rising incidences of drug addiction. The National Fund for Control of Drug Abuse, created by the central government through the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, provides funds for combating illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, controlling the abuse of narcotic drugs, as well as de-addiction and rehabilitation of addicts and drug awareness programmes. As key objectives of the fund include reduction of drug demand and supply and raising awareness about the dangers of drug addiction, the states leveraging this fund to increase deaddiction and awareness campaigns can help augment resources required to cater to the growing demand for deaddiction measures. Strengthening deaddiction measures parallel to strengthening the prevention of illicit drug trafficking and peddling is vital for achieving the core objective of the mission: to make the state and the country drug-free. As the state intensifies various interventions for demand and supply reduction, sustained international collaboration by India with neighbouring countries and countries which have declared war on drugs is essential for tightening vigilance across international borders. As vast stretches of international borders of the northeast region are porous and unmanned, the vulnerability of Assam and other states in the region for drug trafficking always remains high. The conviction of arrested traffickers, therefore, needs to be prioritized so that they cannot take advantage of any legal loopholes and come out on bail for want of strong evidence and witnesses.