Big action by Pune police against narcotics in the country; Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis announces reward of Rs. 25 lakh to Pune police

PUNE: The Pune city police’s Crime Branch has seized 1,700 kg of drugs worth Rs. 3,600 crore through raids in Vishrantwadi, Kurkumbh and Delhi. Appreciating the action taken by the Pune police, Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis has announced a reward of Rs. 25 lakh for the Pune police. He also said that the anti-narcotics operation by the Pune police is the biggest operation in the country in recent times.

Fadnavis was speaking after felicitating policemen at the Pune Police Commissionerate. Commissioner of Police Amitesh Kumar, Joint Commissioner of Police Pravin Pawar, Additional Commissioners of Police Shailesh Balakawade and Arvind Chawria, Deputy Commissioners of Police Amol Zende, Sandeep Singh Gill, R. Raja, Sambhaji Kadam, Assistant Commissioners of Police Satish Govekar, Sunil Tambe and other police officers were present on this occasion.

Fadnavis said, “I congratulate the Pune police because it has taken a huge action against drugs. This is the biggest operation in the country in recent times. The police have confiscated the MD stock of nearly Rs. 3,600 crore. The campaign ‘Drugs Free Maharashtra’ has been implemented continuously since the last few months. The campaign of ‘Drugs Free India’ is being implemented in the country under the leadership of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Zero tolerance is being followed with regard to drugs. Drugs destroy society. Fadnavis said that drugs are doing what guns and missiles can’t do and hence, they should be destroyed.

Fadnavis said, “If this stock of MD had reached the youths, many houses would have been destroyed. Attempts are being made to manufacture MD drugs by setting up factories. Money is being exchanged on a large scale. Hence, this action is important. We have to work by facing these challenges. A lot has been learned from this action. He appealed to the Pune police to find similar links. He said that Union Home Minister Amit Shah has issued joint instructions to all the states and appealed to them to help.

“We should think about the challenges which are facing us. We cannot stop because this action has been taken. Even if you seize a small stock, it is very important to find out the backward and forward links. This was done by the Pune police. Otherwise we would not have gone ahead after being satisfied with the arrest of a single person. Drug peddlers must be caught. But it is very important to find out where these drugs came from, how they arrived here and what is the route used by smugglers,” said Fadnavis.

The mastermind of this case is based abroad. Some amount of drugs has been sent abroad. Hence, there must be coordination. The new methods of sending drugs are using courier, using darknet, social media sites etc. It is difficult to seize the drugs as a very small quantity is involved. Such places have to be found and action has to be taken. I hope Pune police and other units in Maharashtra will do a good job,” he said.

Fadnavis felicitated Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Shailesh Balkawade, Deputy Commissioner of Police Amol Zende, Deputy Commissioner of Police Sandeep Singh Gill, Assistant Commissioner of Police Sunil Tambe, Assistant Commissioner of Police Satish Govekar, Police Inspector Shabbir Syed, Anita Hivarkar, Vinayak Gaikwad, Rajendra Landge, Ajay Waghmare and Police Constable Vitthal Salunke.