Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh blames Nigerian nations, courier services for rising drug menace in state

Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Tuesday told the Legislative Council "Nigerian nationals" and courier services were responsible for the rise in drug use in the state.

He was replying to a calling attention raised by Congress MLC Anant Gadgil.

"Nigerian nationals are largely involved in the drug trade and sale. Courier services are also used for supply and transport of drugs from one city to another," he said, adding "we have our informants and intelligence network which is keeping an eye on such movement and sale of drugs."

"There is a Nigerian vasti (settlement) in Thane and other parts of the Mumbai metropolitan region where they reside and operate. We have found that many of them are staying here without valid documents like passports etc," he added.

Responding to a query by Shiv Sena MLC Ambadas Danve, Deshmukh said the state had reports that the use of synthetic drugs was on the rise and raids have unearthed thousands of kilograms of these contraband.

He said the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would also be roped in for such raids.

"In 2019, 14,029 cases were registered in Maharashtra for possession, sale and consumption of drugs. The police arrested 14,805 people and seized 16,522 kgs of drugs. The market price of the seized material is Rs 281.96 crore," the minister told the House.

He said Mumbai alone accounted for 436 cases in the calendar year 2019, leading to seizure of 610 kgs of drugs worth Rs 62.83 crore, and arrest of several people including eight foreign nationals