First in Maharashtra, drug trade gang booked under amended MCOCA

Mumbai, Aug 20 (PTI) In a first such action in Maharashtra, police have booked an organised gang of drug traffickers under the amended MCOCA, which brings narcotics crimes under the purview of the stringent anti-organised crime law, officials said on Wednesday.

The Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) of the Bandra unit arrested three drug traffickers on August 7 for allegedly possessing 766 grams of Mephedrone. Two others, including the kingpin, are on the run, an official said.

They have been allegedly involved in manufacturing, distributing, and supplying drugs. Taking serious cognisance of the activities of the gang, ANC officials had proposed to impose sections of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), he said.

This is the first case in Maharashtra under the recent amendment to MCOCA, police said.

The Maharashtra legislature had passed a bill for bringing drug peddlers and narcotics crimes under the purview of the stringent anti-organised crime law MCOCA. The amendment makes it tough for drug peddlers to obtain bail after arrest. PTI DC NSK