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CM Shinde orders ‘Mission 30 days’ to crack down on narcotics supplies in city
The Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Eknath Shinde, has ordered the police to launch 'Mission 30 days' to crack down on drug suppliers in Mumbai, following the 'Drugs-Free Mumbai' campaign. In the last ten days, 254 cases have been registered for possession of narcotics, 263 people have been arrested, and narcotics worth ₹2.59 crore have been seized. The police will coordinate with other departments, including the FDA, excise, health, and the BMC, to take effective action against various establishments. The police will also undertake an awareness drive and rehabilitate those who consume drugs.
Mumbai: ‘After the Drugs-Free Mumbai’ campaign launched by the city police on April 29 comes the sequel that will take forward the action against the drug menace. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has ordered the police to launch ‘Mission 30 days’ to crack down on actual drug suppliers in Mumbai. “Action against retail drug peddlers is good but it is vital to destroy the manufacturing and supplying units which are at the root of the narcotics business in the city,” Shinde told the police and administration. The CM has asked the DG to initiate such action against drug suppliers in the state as well.
The chief minister on Tuesday night held a meeting attended by additional chief secretary (home) Anand Limaye, director-general of police Rajnish Seth, Mumbai police commissioner Vivek Phansalkar, special police commissioner Deven Bharti and Mumbai municipal commissioner I S Chahal. A presentation was made on the Drugs-Free Mumbai campaign, and the CM was informed that in the last ten days, 254 cases had been registered in various police stations for possession of narcotics, 263 people had been arrested and narcotics worth ₹2.59 crore had been seized.
At the meeting, Shinde told the police and administration to take the help of other departments to crack down on the narcotics business. “We had already involved the BMC—7,000 BMC teachers were given online training so that they could alert the police about the sale of drugs or drug-affected students,” police commissioner Phansalkar told HT. “Now as per the instructions of CM Shinde, we will soon hold a meeting with other departments like FDA, excise, health and the BMC to take effective action against various establishments.”
Phansalkar said the anti-narcotics cell of the crime branch was working on the issue, and they would soon coordinate with the Narcotics Control Bureau of India as well. “The CM has also emphasised the rehabilitation of those who consume drugs,” he said. “So we will undertake an awareness drive, as many families do not come forward and try to conceal that their children have a drug problem. KEM hospital has a deaddiction facility which will be useful.”
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In the last 10 days, the Mumbai police—Crime Branch as well as Anti-Narcotics Cell officers—have arrested 350 people and seized drugs worth ₹7.44 crore. The drugs seized are 65,287 gm of marijuana, 4,260.27 gm of mephedrone, 214.3 gm of cocaine, 4,700 ml of codeine syrup, 280 gm of high-quality hydroponic marijuana, 1,620 grams of charas, a small quantity of heroin and e-cigarettes.
The ANC also demolished 1,371 paan stalls located near schools and colleges and removed 6,263 hawkers. The agency also cleared railway station areas by evicting around 2,819 hawkers from the surrounding areas.