Of total drugs seized, 30% from Gujarat: EC | Ahmedabad News
Of total drugs seized, 30% from Gujarat: EC | Ahmedabad News
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Amid the Lok Sabha polls, nearly one-third of the total value of drugs seized by the Election Commission of India (ECI) across the country have been in Gujarat, data released by the poll panel says.
Drug seizures — with a total value of Rs 3,958.85 crore — topped the ECI’s crackdown on inducements between March 1 and May 18. This amounts to nearly 45 per cent of the total worth of seized items worth Rs 8,889 crore.
Of the Rs 3,958.85 crore, Rs 1,187.8 crore or nearly 30 per cent was seized from Gujarat alone. “Enhanced vigil against inducements, including drugs and psychotropic substances, has resulted in big seizure actions and continuous surge. Drug seizures have been the highest. Regular follow-ups and reviews of districts and agencies in areas of expenditure monitoring, precise data interpretation and active participation of enforcement agencies have led to this significant spurt in seizures since March 1,” EC stated.
As per the EC, three major operations resulted in drug seizures worth Rs 602 crore, Rs 230 crore and Rs 60 crore during the said period. “Gujarat ATS, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the Indian Coast Guard, in joint operations, have made three high-value seizures of drugs in just three days amounting to Rs 892 crore,” the commission stated Saturday.
In the largest operation, a joint force identified and intercepted a suspected fishing boat that was carrying 14 crew members — all Pakistan nationals — on Indian waters, 180 nautical miles off the coast of Porbandar, Gujarat. “The joint team of Gujarat ATS and Narcotics Control Bureau (Operations), New Delhi recovered 78 boxes of contraband suspected to be heroin weighing roughly 86 kgs that is worth nearly Rs 602 crore in the international market. The boat and crew were brought to Porbandar for further legal procedures,” the statement highlighted.
In another operation, Gujarat ATS received inputs that various units in Rajasthan and Gujarat are involved in the illicit manufacturing of psychotropic substances such as mephedrone. “Joint teams of Gujarat ATS and NCB (Operations) Delhi conducted simultaneous raids at Amreli and Gandhinagar, Sirohi and Jodhpur in Rajasthan on April 27, 2024, and seized illicit manufacturing units involved in the production of mephedrone. In the ongoing operations, 10 individuals have so far been detained and 22 kgs of mephedrone powder and 124 litres of mephedrone in liquid form have been seized,” EC stated.
In the third operation, the Gujarat ATC, Indian Coast Guard and NCB jointly seized 173 kg hashish worth Rs 60.5 crore on April 29.
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