Mumbai: Over 2,000 paan shops close to schools and colleges suspected of selling drugs were raided in the city and their encroachments removed, said CM Devendra Fadnavis in the legislative council on Thursday. He mentioned that such shops are being closely monitored.The issue of narcotic drugs such as mephedrone and brown sugar being sold at roadside tea stalls in Badlapur and Ambernath, drugs being seized at the APMC market in Navi Mumbai, and the arrest of 50 Bangladeshi citizens while selling these drugs, along with the seizure of MD drugs worth Rs 8 crore in Vasai and drugs worth Rs 2 crore seized in Thane in recent months, was raised by Congress MLC Bhai Jagtap through a calling attention motion.Responding to questions from legislators during the discussion on drugs being easily available in the state, Fadnavis said in some cases police involvement was also found. “We are directly dismissing police officials found directly or indirectly involved in the drugs trade under Article 311. Police officials are also doing a good job in solving such cases. Five days ago, two Indonesian citizens were arrested with 21 kg of hydro gaanja worth Rs 21 crore. These drug peddlers go to jail, come out on bail, and then go back into the trade. We are bringing an amendment during this session to try them under MCOCA. Both Thailand and the US have made the consumption of hydro gaanja legal, and there are huge consignments coming from these countries,” he said.Fadnavis further stated that a drug trafficker, Navin Jichkar, bought an island in Indonesia, obtained an Australian passport, and through postal courier, sends hydro gaanja from Thailand and the US to India. Investigations showed the involvement of postal, customs, and police officials. All have been arrested. Police also went to Indonesia and arrested Jichkar, he said.Synthetic drugs can be made at home in a kadhai, said Fadnavis. Unless information is available, these businesses continue. Raids have been conducted on all defunct chemical units where these drugs were being manufactured, and records of all these closed units have been kept. Highlighting the challenges, Fadnavis said it is an inter-state and international racket. States are coordinating to fight this racket, he said. He mentioned that earlier only the drug peddler would be arrested; now it is compulsory to find his forward and backward linkages. In three cases, women in the third stage of cancer selling drugs for money were arrested.
