After the Lalit Patil drug case in 2023, the Pune Police uncovered a staggering ₹3,676 crore mephedrone bust last month across multiple cities. Alongside these significant seizures, cases of drug peddling in the city are also surfacing. Namami Shankar Jha, a peddler, was apprehended by Sangvi Police officials during a routine patrol, with a bag containing 2.32kg of mephedrone seized from him. Shortly after, police officer Vikas Shelke, attached to the Nigdi Police Station, was arrested in connection with the seizure of 45kg of mephedrone.
These recent incidents are part of a larger trend in the city. Over the past two years, the Pune Police have intensified efforts to combat drug smuggling, resulting in the seizure of narcotics valued at over ₹27 crore and action taken against 415 individuals involved in illicit drug activities.
Looking back over the last decade, the police have apprehended a total of 1,506 accused, confiscating drugs worth more than ₹45 crore from them. However, recent data from just the initial two months of 2024 reveal a significant escalation in drug-related crimes. Pune Police arrested 10 individuals and seized drugs valued at a staggering ₹3,676 crore during this period, with a total of 1,931 people detained so far.
In 2013, the police apprehended 114 individuals in 65 operations, seizing narcotics valued at ₹1.68 lakh. The following year, 66 crimes were reported with 97 accused, and drugs worth ₹68.55 lakh were confiscated. In 2015, 54 criminal incidents involving 90 accused led to the seizure of drugs worth ₹1.32 crore. By 2016, the stakes escalated significantly, with 63 recorded crimes, 80 accused arrested, and narcotics worth ₹152 crore seized. The trend continued into 2017, where 78 crimes resulted in the arrest of 106 individuals, and drugs valued at ₹1.33 crore were confiscated. In 2018, authorities seized drugs worth ₹1.10 crore, followed by a significant increase in 2019 with seizures amounting to ₹3 crore. The momentum persisted in 2020 and 2021, with drug hauls valued at ₹1.95 crore and ₹2.58 crore, respectively. However, the most notable surges occurred in 2022 and 2023, with ₹9.93 crore and ₹17.84 crore worth of drugs seized. The unprecedented escalation continued into 2024, with Pune Police setting new records by apprehending more than 10 accused in a single drug case and seizing over 1,850 kg of mephedrone, valued at ₹3,676 crore.
Year | Offences | Arrested | Drugs Seized (in ₹)
2013 | 65 | 114 | ₹1.68 lakh
2014 | 66 | 97 | ₹68.55 lakh
2015 | 54 | 90 | ₹1.31 crore
2016 | 63 | 80 | ₹152 crore
2017 | 78 | 106 | ₹1.33 crore
2018 | 87 | 118 | ₹1.10 crore
2019 | 119 | 157 | ₹3 crore
2020 | 119 | 175 | ₹1.95 crore
2021 | 107 | 154 | ₹2.58 crore
2022 | 150 | 200 | ₹9.93 crore
2023 | 135 | 215 | ₹17.84 crore
