AS part of the Drug-Free Nagpur campaign, the City Police on Friday launched ‘Operation Thunder’, targeting 153 drug-peddlers with cases registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act from 2020 to 2024. The operation spanned six hours, during which all five Crime Branch units and staff from all police stations conducted searches at the residential premises of these offenders to determine if they were still involved in drug-related activities.

 

Commissioner of Police Dr Ravinder Singal, who initiated the campaign, stated that police aimed to check approximately 800 offenders, but many were either incarcerated, had left the city, or were untraceable. During the operation, police documented the offenders’ records, took photographs and fingerprints, and examined their mobile phones to investigate their connections.

 

Their dossier forms were also filled up. This data would be entered into the SIMBA App, a new AI tool designed to improve law enforcement in Nagpur. Dr Singal informed that from January to September 2024, 261 arrests were made under the NDPS Act, resulting in the seizure of over 419 kilograms of narcotic drugs, including marijuana, brown sugar, charas, cocaine, mephedrone, doda, and bhang, valued at approximately Rs 4.55 crore from 197 cases. He emphasised the police’s commitment to continuing their crackdown on drug peddling as part of the broader campaign, which also includes educational activities aimed at raising awareness about the dangers of drug abuse. After imposition of model code of conduct, Dr Singal informed that drive against the anti-socials has been launched and weapons valued at Rs six lakh were confiscated from them. Of the 2,124 persons possessing licenced firearms, he said, 409 have deposited their pistols and revolvers with the police. The process of depositing the licenced firearms was on, he added. Joint Commissioner of Police Nisar Tamboli, Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Sanjay Patil, Deputy Commissioners of Police Rahul Maknikar (Detection), Shweta Khedkar (Special Branch), Rashmita Rao (Zone-IV), Mehak Swami (Zone-III), Ashwini Patil (Headquarters) and other senior police officers were present at the press conference. 

 

 

ACTING on a tip off, Tehsil Police on Thursday seized a parcel box from Puja Transport’s office at Geetanjali Square and found 2.790 kilogram marijuana valued at Rs 27,990 in it. On the basis of the footage of the CCTV cameras, police identified the accused and took him into custody. The accused, Abdul Asif Gani Shaikh (48), a resident of House No 762, Azamshah Chowk, Hamalpura, Lakadganj, was arrested on charges under Sections 8(c), 20(b) and 2(b) of the NDPS Act.

 

 

CRIME Branch’s Unit-5 on Thursday nabbed a drug-peddler near Jai Bhim Chowk, near Jaiswal Beer Shoppe in Yashodhara Nagar area and seized 6.10 gramme heroin, a scooter and two cellphones collectively worth over Rs 1.75 lakh from him. The accused, identified as Rakib Ahmad Aminuddin Malik (55) is a resident of Plot No 92, Khasala-Masala, Kapil Nagar. Acting on a tip off, cops intercepted Rakib Ahmad and found a small ziplock bag containing heroin. Unit-5 team took Rakib Ahmad into custody and him over toYashodhara Nagar Police who registered a case under Sections 8(c), 21(b), 29 of the NDPS Act against him.