Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The local crime branch police seized drugs worth Rs 5.32 crore in 2022 in the state capital, which was highest in last 4 years. Against this, the cost of the seized drugs ran into few lakhs of rupees in 2019, 2020 and 2021.
The statistics were revealed after Bhopal crime branch shared data of past four years with Free Press, during which it was learnt that the crackdown on drug peddlers intensified in 2022. The statistics further revealed that drugs worth Rs 23.10 lakh were seized by crime branch in 2019, worth Rs 33.36 lakh in 2020 and Rs 27.84 lakh in 2021.
The Bhopal crime branch persevered in its efforts to pull the plug on drug trafficking, thereby seizing 285.87 kilograms of marijuana, 10.48 kilograms of hash and 10 grams of MD drugs in 2022, estimated to be worth Rs 5.32 crore.
Besides, interstate gangs were also busted, which were out of police since a long time. The gang members had links with drug peddlers based in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Odisha from where they used to procure drugs and bring them to Bhopal for distribution.
The officials said 50 drug peddlers were arrested in 2020 while 25 were arrested in 2019. In 2022, 31 drug peddlers were pushed behind bars.
Drug distribution prevented
Additional DCP (Crime) Shailendra Singh Chouhan told Free Press that though the arrests made under Narcotics, Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS Act) were low in 2022 compared to 2021 and 2020, large quantities of drugs were seized in 2022, which prevented their distribution and thus kept addiction in check. He also attributed the achievement to strong network of informers spread all over the city.
