Massive crackdowns by the Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) Mumbai police has led to a dramatic increase in drug seizures in the city. While consumption cases increased from 1,271 in 2013 to 13,296 in 2014, possession cases moved northward from 136 to 257 in 2014. Interestingly, the value of drug seized remained Rs 3.6 crore both the years.

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An ANC official said, "Several new drugs were seized in 2014. The value remains the same as we had a huge ketamine haul in 2013. We also had seized huge procurements of charas in 2013. As far as possession cases are concerned, it is hard to crack the network of peddlers in the city and we believe that if consumers are caught, the demand will come down and ultimately affect peddling. This is the reason why our focus has been to nab as many users a we can.”

In 2014, the highest seized drug in the city is ganja (112 cases, 701 kg), followed by heroin (45 cases, 1 kg) and cocaine (40 cases, 1 kg). Some of the new drugs that were seized last year were amphetamine (1 kg), ephedrine (35 kg), rescox cough syrup (3,200 bottles), LSD etc. The action saw 17,617 people getting arrested in 2014, which was 4,118 in 2013.

Namdeo Chavan, deputy commissioner of police (ANC), said, "Our crackdowns were round-the-clock and we have expanded our networks across the city. We have also strengthened vigilance and have involved all the 93 local police stations in the city to carry out raids.” The police had strengthened its vigilance near slum pockets, defunct mill premises, schools and colleges and the officers have been guarding every vulnerable spot in the city in plainclothes.

The ANC has created an online vigilance team to check on raves and online peddling of drugs. It has also teamed up with five city colleges city for a drug-free campus drive. “Apart from these, the local police have recorded over hundreds of cases of mephedrone, also known as meow meow, in less than four months,” said an officer.

The officer said meow meow is becoming a rage as its ingredients are available in the open market. “Hopefully, it will be classified as a drug under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act in 2015. Currently, due to its rampant availability, cops are booking mephedrone users under sections of the Indian Penal Code.”