'Maharashtra Govt Contemplating Tracking Foreign Drug Peddlers On Parole Using Electronic Gadget,' Says CM Devendra Fadnavis

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavisinformed the state legislative assembly on Tuesday that the state government is contemplating tracking foreign nationals on parole in narcotics cases using an electronic gadget.

Admitting that the drug menace has been increasing, the chief minister said Nigerian peddlers would earlier sell drugs, but the Darknet and Instagram are now used for placing orders through messages, and the contraband is delivered through courier services.

He said courier offices have been checked and warned they will be liable.

Fadnavis said the government is tracking Nigerians and peddlers of other nationalities. However, they cannot be deported unless cases against them reach a logical conclusion.

"We have a law pertaining to jails, under which there is a provision that if anyone is on parole or furlough, we can electronically track them using a gadget. We are assessing legally whether they (foreign nationals accused in narcotics cases) can be tracked electronically," he said in response to a question.

Fadnavis, also the state home minister, further said that any police personnel found directly or indirectly involved in narcotics-related activities would be dismissed.

In Pune, seven police personnel have been suspended, he said, asserting that there is zero tolerance towards drug menace.

(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)