MUMBAI: Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Thursday that because of the state government’s zero tolerance policy towards the narcotics trade, the state anti-narcotics department seized drugs worth ₹4,131 crore in the first five months of this year, which is over four times more than last year’s seizure.
He said this while replying to a question raised by Congress MLC Ashok (Bhai) Jagtap on the increasing narcotics trade in the state, specifically mentioning the recent ‘heroine case’ of Mahim. Fadnavis informed the house that the Mahim case accused was sent to judicial custody, and after interrogating him, police traced links to Uttarakhand in search of backward linkage. “The state government has set up anti-narcotics cells all over Maharashtra and has ordered police to take stringent action in all narcotics cases,” he said, adding that the government has dismissed six police officers so far for their connections with narcotics traders.
Speaking on the ‘zero tolerance policy’ of the government, he said that this has led to an increase in drugs seizure. In 2023, drugs worth ₹897 crore were seized in 12,648 cases, while this year, in the first five months itself, drugs worth ₹4131 crore were seized in just 6529 cases.
He also informed the house that narcotics traders and consumers have been using social media and courier services to take and supply orders (read drugs). “We also found that because of strict patrolling on the state borders, the narcotics traders have started using the sea route and used containers, to transport drugs. So, now, the state government has installed scanners to screen containers to restrict the narcotics trade,” said Fadnavis.
{{/usCountry}}He also informed the house that narcotics traders and consumers have been using social media and courier services to take and supply orders (read drugs). “We also found that because of strict patrolling on the state borders, the narcotics traders have started using the sea route and used containers, to transport drugs. So, now, the state government has installed scanners to screen containers to restrict the narcotics trade,” said Fadnavis.
{{/usCountry}}He also said that anti-narcotics committees have been formed with officers from different departments for coordinated efforts to combat the production and trade of the banned substances.
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