Mumbai, Oct 16 Police have seized drugs, including mephedrone, heroin and cocaine, worth Rs 15.87 crore from various locations in Mumbai in a special two-day operation, during which they also arrested 21 absconding accused and registered 72 cases, officials said on Friday.
During the drive conducted on Wednesday and Thursday, the police also executed non-bailable warrants against 40 individuals, they said.
The intense crackdown aligns with the objectives of the ‘Drug-Free Mumbai’ campaign launched on July 30 this year, and the central government’s “Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan” (Drug-Free India Campaign), which began on August 2 this year.
The coordinated efforts involving local police stations, the Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC), and specialised Crime Branch units yielded significant seizures, according to the officials.
Police recovered a total of 46.16 kilograms of illicit drugs, including ganja, mephedrone (MD), heroin/brown sugar, charas, LSD blotters, cocaine, hashish, and hydroponic ganja, along with 9,540 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup. In addition to the contraband valued at Rs 15.87 crore, authorities seized Rs 9.47 lakh in cash, they said.
During the drive, the investigators uncovered that a previously booked narcotics accused had formed an organised syndicate with four associates to run a drug trafficking ring. Consequently, the Crime Branch invoked the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against all five individuals.
Authorities also targeted illicit infrastructure supporting the drug trade, demolishing 20 unauthorised structures and 145 illegal paan stalls linked to known Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act offenders.
Meanwhile, awareness campaigns were rolled out across 9,031 locations in the metropolis housing educational institutions, hosting public events during festivals and celebrations like Navratri and garba, reaching an estimated 1,83,928 citizens, the officials added.
(PTI News)
