Campbell Bay: Once considered relatively free from drug abuse, Great Nicobar is now facing growing concerns over the availability and movement of narcotic and psychotropic substances, with recent NDPS cases registered at Campbell Bay bringing the issue into sharper focus. The reported seizure of drugs from youths has raised questions over how narcotic substances are reaching the island and whether existing safeguards at its maritime gateway are adequate to check their movement.
Maritime route, multiple vulnerabilities
Cargo and passenger vessels from Sri Vijaya Puram generally pass through intermediate islands before reaching Campbell Bay, often the last port of call on the route. While checks at the primary departure point may be comparatively stringent, the possibility of contraband being introduced during intermediate halts cannot be ruled out.
Limited screening of passenger baggage and cargo at some remote island ports could provide opportunities for concealed narcotics to move onward to Great Nicobar. Previous recoveries of drugs washed ashore in the Islands, along with reported inter-island transportation and trafficking cases, underline the need for vigilance beyond the primary point of departure.
Campbell Bay jetty needs stronger safeguards
As the principal maritime gateway to Great Nicobar, Campbell Bay’s jetty could serve as a crucial checkpoint against the movement of drugs in both directions.Systematic screening of passengers, baggage and cargo during entry and exit, backed by intelligence-led policing, could strengthen the existing anti-narcotics effort. A permanent police canine unit trained in drug detection and an X-ray baggage scanning system could provide additional layers of security.
Such measures would not replace intelligence-based operations but could complement them by helping detect concealed narcotics and deter their movement through the island’s maritime network. The issue assumes added significance as Great Nicobar undergoes major development under the Government of India’s Great Nicobar Island Project.
Beyond its strategic importance, the island’s social fabric—particularly its younger population—needs protection from the consequences of drug abuse.
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Strengthening maritime surveillance and screening at key entry and exit points is therefore not merely a policing requirement but a public-interest necessity. The question now is whether Campbell Bay’s maritime gateway has adequate safeguards to prevent Great Nicobar from becoming a transit point for narcotics.
