In a major crackdown on drug trafficking, the Navi Mumbai Police destroyed narcotics worth Rs 10 crore on Wednesday at Mumbai Waste Management Limited in Taloja. The confiscated drugs, seized over the past two years, included 140 kg of MD, heroin, cocaine, marijuana, charas, opium, LSD paper, along with 500 kg of gutkha.
The event was attended by State Forest Minister Ganesh Naik, Panvel MLA Prashant Thakur, Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner Milind Bharambe, Joint Commissioner of Police Sanjay Yenpure, Additional Commissioner Deepak Sakore, Crime Branch Deputy Commissioner Amit Kale, and other senior officials.
The Navi Mumbai Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) and various police stations carried out multiple operations in the Navi Mumbai Commissionerate over the past two years, leading to the seizure of large quantities of banned substances. As part of the ‘Drug-Free Navi Mumbai’ initiative, these seized substances from 40 criminal cases were systematically destroyed in the presence of senior officials.
Drug-Free Navi Mumbai | FPJ/Farooq Sayed
Drug-Free Navi Mumbai | FPJ/Farooq Sayed
Drug-Free Navi Mumbai | FPJ/Farooq Sayed
The hazardous waste disposal facility in Taloja processed 140 kg of various drugs and 500 kg of gutkha in compliance with legal protocols. The estimated value of the destroyed narcotics stood at Rs 10 crore. Assistant Commissioner of Police Ajay Landge said, “It was the largest drug disposal operation ever conducted within the Navi Mumbai Commissionerate with largest quantity so far.” Last year, narcotics worth Rs1.61 crore from 39 cases were destroyed as per the procedure.
In last two years, the Navi Mumbai Police intensified action against drug traffickers and users, registering 1,143 cases and arresting 1,743 accused. A total of Rs 53 crore worth of drugs were confiscated during this period. “Among these, the cases which had orders from the court for destruction of the seized drugs, were destroyed today,” Joint Commissioner Yenpure said. Additionally, the police had arrested 111 African nationals, recovering narcotics valued at Rs 38 crore from them. Furthermore, strict action was taken against 1,131 illegally residing African nationals and 224 Bangladeshi nationals, with 1,128 of them deported from India.
Drug-Free Navi Mumbai | FPJ/Farooq Sayed
Drug-Free Navi Mumbai | FPJ/Farooq Sayed
“We have zero tolerance policy for drug usage. And we urge citizens to come forward and give us information if they ever find use or supply of drugs in Navi Mumbai, on our helpline which we launched last month. Their names would be kept confidential,” Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner Milind Bharambe said. The helpline -8828 112 112- was launched for individuals to report information related to drugs anonymously on January 8 with Bollywood actor John Abraham as an ambassador.
