Ahmedabad, April 21 (IANS) A Special NDPS Court in Ahmedabad sentenced an inter-state drug trafficker to 15 years’ rigorous imprisonment, along with a fine of Rs 2 lakh, in a 2022 Mephedrone seizure case, an NCB official said on Tuesday.

Sajid Miya Malek, a resident of Vejalpur Road, Ahmedabad, was convicted by the Special Court under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, said an official statement.

In July 2022, the Narcotics Control Bureau intercepted the convict at CTM Toll Plaza, Ahmedabad-Vadodara Highway, recovering 0.391 kg of Mephedrone from his possession, it said.

This conviction sends a clear message: drug trafficking will not be tolerated, with NCB Ahmedabad showing zero tolerance and recently notifying 2-bromo-4-methylpropiophenone as a Controlled Substance under the NDPS Act to curb Mephedrone manufacturing, said the statement.

The NCB urged citizens to report narcotics-related information through MANAS Helpline (Toll-Free: 1933), adding that informers’ identities are kept strictly confidential.

The conviction comes close to Union Home Minister Amit Shah congratulating the NCB for getting 73 drug offenders convicted in the first three months of 2026 with the harshest punishments.

In a post on X on Monday, HM Amit Shah said, “To protect our youth from the scourge of drugs, the Modi govt is ruthlessly demolishing drug cartels and is also ensuring their conviction. Under this mission, the NCB has made a breakthrough in getting 73 drug offenders convicted in the first three months of 2026, with the harshest punishments.”

“We are determined to shut every breathing space of drug rackets with our entire might. Congratulations to NCB for this achievement,” he said.

In the first quarter of 2026, from January to March, the NCB secured convictions of 73 drug offenders in 35 cases. Out of these, four were awarded the maximum sentence of 20 years, while 54 others were awarded sentences of 10 years or more. A total fine of Rs 1.22 crore was also imposed on the convicts.

The NCB’s focused approach to trial monitoring has led to a steady increase in the conviction rate from 60.5 per cent in 2024 to 65.5 per cent in 2025 and now to 68.6 per cent in the first quarter of 2026, said a statement.

–IANS

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