Navi Mumbai: Drug peddling cases in 2016 witnessed a 400 per cent rise as compared to 2015, thanks to the launch of the anti-narcotics cell in Navi Mumbai in last June. And in seven months, the cell arrested 94 people in raids and seized drugs worth ₹1.78 crore from them.
“The drugs include ganja, MD rock powder, ice rock powder, Ketamine powder, Mephedrone powder, Methaqualone and cobra snake poison,” said Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner Hemant Nagrale.
A total of 17 cases were registered and 22 people were arrested in 2015, while in 2016, 77 cases were registered and 94 were arrested.
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The cell was set up by then Commissioner Prabhat Ranjan, after inspector Maya More, who was in charge of APMC police station, made several drug seizures. Ms. More initially led the cell after which senior inspector Vinod Chavan took over.
The cell has counselled around 85 college students who were addicted to drugs. “We don’t book them but counsel in order to give them a better future. While counselling, we call their parents and explain to them the effects of addiction, and how their children can overcome it with the help of their family members,” said sub-inspector Amit Shelar of the anti-narcotics cell.
The college students fall prey because those selling them claim that the drugs will help them stay awake for the whole night and concentrate on studies. “Students do stay awake the whole night after consuming the drugs, but they don’t realise that they would be then in a state of mind wherein their brain does not function normally,” said Mr. Shelar.
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