Mira Bhayandar: The Mira Bhayandar-Vasai Virar (MBVV) police have witnessed a significant dip in the drug seizure value during raids conducted by its Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) in 2022 as compared to 2021. However, the number of raids has remained similar at 54 in corresponding periods of both the years.
According to official data sourced from the ANC, their teams under the supervision of former chief Police Inspector Devidas Handore (currently posted as head of the traffic wing) arrested 69 peddlers including 14 Nigerian nationals from January 1 to December 31, 2022, and seized drugs valued at Rs1.75 crore in the international market. The seized consignment includes Mephedrone (MD), cocaine and cannabis like ganja and charas.
In 2021, the ANC arrested 86 people including 13 Nigerian nationals in a similar number of raids and seized drugs valued at more than Rs2.64 crore. All the accused have been booked under the relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985 at local police stations in the twin-city.
Apart from acting against the drug mafia, the ANC has also booked 68 people in various offences including gutka vending, usage of tobacco-laced products in hookah parlours and gambling activities in 2022.
The Mira Bhayandar belt was earlier considered a safe hunting ground for the drug cartel, however, after the elevation of the rural policing apparatus to commissionerate status in October 2020, officials trained their focus on weeding out the drug menace from the region, forcing several drug lords to go underground or migrate to other areas.
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