This study evaluates the current architecture of prevention aimed at reducing offenses connected with the illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances among students of higher education institutions in Uzbekistan. As of 2025, 1,657,381 students were enrolled in 201 institutions, yet dormitory capacity covered only 8.8 percent of them. Prevention inspectors operate under workloads eight to ten times higher than international reference values. Recent national data show that the number of young people held liable for drug-related offenses rose by 74 percent over five years, with a 21 percent increase among university students (Otajonov, 2024). Drawing on social control, routine activity, social learning and strain theories, the article identifies structural gaps and reviews practice in Russia, Germany, Estonia and South Korea. Fourteen actionable recommendations are advanced, encompassing residential expansion, digital early-warning systems, psychological service reinforcement and inter-agency coordination. The findings support the modernization of campus prevention in line with the National Strategy for 2024–2028.