Mumbai, July 3 (IANS) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said that hydro ganja is proving to be a big challenge for the government, and since it has been legalised in Thailand and America, cases of it being sent via parcel are increasing.

He told the state council that the state has written to reduce the commercial quantity of drugs in the rules, which can lead to longer jail terms for the peddlers.

“Hydro ganja is proving to be a challenge. Thailand and the US have made it legal. So, hydro ganja is being pushed into the country through courier services and other routes,” he said, highlighting the deportation of alleged drug cartel operator Naveen Jichkar, who bought an island in Australia, which he used to send hydroponic ganja from Thailand and the US through courier.

“He was arrested along with a few associated with the postal and Customs departments and two policemen, who have since been dismissed,” he added.

In his reply to a calling attention motion in the legislative council, Fadnavis informed the house that MD drugs worth Rs 4115.59 crore were confiscated in 2024, while by May 2025, MD drugs worth Rs 138.90 crore were seized.

He also raised concerns over synthetic drugs and said that even terminal cancer patients are being used as drug carriers.

“Breaking the drug infrastructure and giving wide publicity to the anti-drug movement by involving school children is a campaign that has been kick-started in many commissionerates,” he said, adding that the police are not only arresting drug peddlers but have also made probes into the forward-and-backwards linkage compulsory.

“Even last-stage cancer patients are being used (as carriers). There were three cases where they were battling cancer,” he said.

Close monitoring will be done on narcotics being smuggled in from outside. Additionally, officers serving in the ‘Anti-Narcotics Task Force’ will be given proper training and assured of good future postings, said the Chief Minister.

“Very strict action will be taken against those involved in using minors for drug trafficking. Awareness campaigns will be conducted through OTT platforms against the ‘glorification’ of narcotics. And have instructed all postal and courier companies to inspect consignments. Joint task forces will monitor social media and the dark net. Strict action will be taken against drug peddlers, including coordinated crackdowns and prosecution,” he added.

According to the Chief Minister, instructions have been given to the Food and Drug Administration and the Pollution Control Board to frame appropriate regulations for companies whose scrap could potentially be used to manufacture narcotic substances.

“Any police personnel found directly or indirectly involved in drug-related activities will face immediate dismissal under Section 311,” he said.

He pointed out that it was found that ports in Gujarat and the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) in Maharashtra were used to bring in drugs concealed in cargo consignments, adding that scanners that can detect concealed drugs have been installed in Gujarat and Maharashtra.

“Randomised checking of shipments from certain countries, where there is a possibility of drug supply, is being done,” he said, adding that due to intense actions taken by the police, the number of cases looks higher.

Five days ago, two Indonesian nationals were arrested with 21 kg of hydroponic ganja valued at Rs 21.55 crore in Mumbai, he said.

Fadnavis reiterated that since drug peddlers secure bail and again resort to similar activities, the state government is amending the laws to book them under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act.

–IANS

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