Rs 4,131 cr drugs seized in 5 months against Rs 897 cr in entire 2023: Maharashtra govt

Mumbai: The anti-narcotics teams seized drugs of Rs 4,131 crore in five months of 2024 in Maharashtra, a 360 per cent increase over the value of contraband seized in the last calendar year, the government data shows. The government also found the involvement of some police officials in drugs trade and they have been dismissed from service, Deputy Chief Minister Fadnavis said in the state legislative council on Thursday.

He was replying to a query raised by Congress legislator Ashok alias Bhai Jagtap.

“The anti-narcotics teams carried out 12,648 operations and seized banned substances valued at Rs 897 crore in calendar year 2023. However, as of May this year, the teams conducted 6,529 operations and confiscated banned substances of Rs 4,131 crore in the state,” Fadnavis said.

These teams were formed following the Centre’s request to all state governments to develop a joint action plan, coordinating the efforts of various departments to check the production and trade of banned substances, he said.

“The state government has also unearthed the involvement of some police officials in such malpractices, and they have been dismissed from service,” the deputy CM added.