The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) identified Telegram as the most used encrypted messaging app for advertising illegal drugs in its Annual Report 2025, released on June 26. Union Home Minister Amit Shah unveiled the report at the 10th apex-level meeting of the Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD), highlighting Telegram's role alongside WhatsApp and Signal in drug distribution channels, according to medianama.com.
The report emphasized Telegram's public channels and ease of access as key reasons for its prominence in drug advertising, allowing traffickers to post product listings, pricing, and delivery details to a broader audience than darknet markets. The NCB acknowledged enforcement challenges including jurisdictional hurdles in securing platform cooperation, auto-deletion of messages, use of multiple accounts, layered communication, and cryptocurrency payments that preserve anonymity, as detailed by medianama.com.
This marks the second recent government focus on Telegram's architecture, following the Delhi High Court's upholding of the Centre's temporary block on Telegram over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak. The report noted that messaging apps lower entry barriers compared to darknet markets, which require specialized access, making platforms like Telegram attractive for illicit trade. The shift towards cryptocurrency payments further complicates enforcement efforts, according to medianama.com.
The NCB report was released during the 10th apex-level NCORD meeting on June 26, underscoring ongoing government scrutiny of encrypted messaging platforms in narcotics control efforts, as reported by medianama.com.