Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis made a statement in the Legislative Council during a question-and-answer session on Wednesday, announcing that the state government will amend the law in this session to take stringent action under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against those arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act who commit crimes again after being granted bail.
The announcement came in response to questions raised by Council members Dr. Parinay Fuke and Eknath Khadse regarding the rising drug trafficking problem in the state.
Fadnavis informed the House that separate NDPS units have been established at every police station across Maharashtra, staffed with officers and enforcement personnel dedicated to combating drug crimes. Additionally, district-level coordination committees have been formed to strengthen anti-narcotics efforts.
The Chief Minister highlighted that, with support from the Central Government, inter-state and state-level coordination has improved, enabling intelligence sharing between states for joint crackdowns on drug traffickers.
Emphasizing the importance of rehabilitation, Fadnavis stated that the government is formulating policies to increase both the number and quality of de-addiction centers in the state to better support those struggling with substance abuse.
Fadnavis clarified that the cultivation of cannabis is banned in Maharashtra as well as in neighboring Madhya Pradesh. The government will take strict action against the trafficking of cannabis, gutkha, and similar substances.
MLC Parinay Fuke alleged that Maharashtra has become the largest hub in India for methaqualone (mefedrone) trafficking, with 1,486 cases nationwide over the past three years originating from the state.
In response to Dr. Fuke’s query, Fadnavis shared crime statistics:
303 cases registered in 2022
642 cases in 2023
545 cases registered so far in 2024
The Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) of Mumbai Police, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) have conducted numerous raids on drug manufacturing units. ANC Mumbai filed 12 cases and arrested 75 accused; DRI filed 4 cases and arrested 22 individuals; NCB registered 3 cases.
To expedite judicial proceedings in drug trafficking cases, the Chief Minister announced plans to request the High Court to set up fast-track courts for cases above a certain severity level.
“This will ensure speedy trials for these serious offenses and strengthen the fight against drug trafficking in the state,” Fadnavis said.
