GG News Bureau
Mumbai, 26th Dec. Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, has witnessed a major increase in drug-related crimes, with 654 cases registered in 2024 compared to 475 in the previous year, according to a senior police official. The total value of contraband seized this year stands at ₹33.27 crore, a sharp rise from ₹22.97 crore in 2023, as revealed in the Navi Mumbai police’s annual report.
Authorities arrested 939 individuals under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in 2024, up from 811 last year. Among the arrested, 58 were foreign nationals, mostly Africans, reflecting an increase from 37 in 2023. Contraband seized from foreign nationals alone was valued at ₹25.70 crore this year, a substantial jump from ₹11.61 crore in 2023.
Cocaine seizures marked the highest value at ₹16.70 crore, skyrocketing from ₹1.25 crore last year. Mephedrone (MD) worth ₹12.67 crore was confiscated, compared to ₹9.33 crore in 2023, while MDMA seizures rose to ₹29.98 lakh from ₹22.10 lakh.
Other drugs such as ganja and brown sugar also saw increased seizures, valued at ₹67.83 lakh and ₹30.10 lakh, respectively, compared to ₹8.46 lakh and ₹1.78 lakh in 2023. The police confiscated LSD blots worth ₹33.55 lakh, up from ₹19.80 lakh last year. Additionally, charas worth ₹67.81 lakh and methadone worth ₹55,000 were seized for the first time in 2024.
Interestingly, some substances like methaqualone and tramadol, which accounted for seizures worth ₹5.96 crore and ₹3.64 crore, respectively, in 2023, were not confiscated this year. Similarly, no heroin was seized in 2024, compared to a nominal ₹33,160 worth confiscation in 2023.
The Navi Mumbai police attribute the rise in seizures and arrests to enhanced vigilance and intensified anti-drug operations. The alarming increase in cocaine and other high-value narcotics highlights the evolving challenges in tackling drug trafficking and related crimes in the region.
Comments are closed.