25 drug peddlers arrested in Ahmedabad with banned substances

Ahmedabad, Dec 24 (PTI) The city crime branch and the Special Operations Group have arrested 25 drug peddlers over a week, leading to the registration of 21 criminal cases and seizure of drugs with an estimated value of Rs 1 crore, officials said on Wednesday.

Large quantities of banned substances, including Mephedrone (MD), ganja, and charas, were recovered during the raids conducted under a special crackdown to dismantle the narcotics network, according to the Ahmedabad crime branch.

"For the first time, preliminary investigations are also focusing on narcotics finance," police said.

Authorities are tracing the money trail to identify how drug profits are being laundered and reinvested. By freezing assets and disrupting the financial backbone of these syndicates, the Crime Branch and SOG aim to ensure that these criminal networks cannot regroup, according to a crime branch release.

Police said instead of targeting large commercial consignments, the joint teams are now concentrating on small quantities as well. This strategy is designed to break the street-level distribution hubs that directly feed local addiction and lure the youth into the drug trap.

Under Section 64A of the NDPS Act, any addict charged with offences involving small quantities or consumption (Section 27) who voluntarily seeks medical treatment for de-addiction from a government-recognised institution may be granted immunity from prosecution, the release said.

"Our goal is to clean the streets of Ahmedabad. We are hitting the peddlers where it hurts the most- their finances, while simultaneously offering a helping hand to those who want to quit," the crime branch said. PTI KVM PD NSK