Police Seized Drugs Worth Rs 88 Crore in Nashik Range This Year; 556 People Held

PTI | August 13, 2025 |  Mumbai : Police seized drugs with an estimated value of Rs 88 crore, including marijuana and synthetic substances, in the Nashik range and arrested 556 people so far this year, a senior officer said on Wednesday.

The prominent cases include the seizure of amphetamine valued at Rs 65 crore in Chalisgaon and the busting of a drugs factory at Srirampur in Ahilyanagar district, leading to the recovery of drugs worth Rs 15 crore, said Special Inspector General of Police (Nashik Range) Datta Karale.

In other cases, drugs with an estimated Rs 8 crore value were seized.

"We are taking stringent action against drug traffickers and organised crime syndicates. We have seized drugs of Rs 88 crore, including ganja, opium, amphetamine, etc., in the current year, and arrested 556 persons," he said.

Karale said a special drive conducted in May and June revealed attempted farming of marijuana in hilly areas of tribal districts under the Nashik range, including parts of Dhule, Nandurbar, and Jalgaon.

"We used drones to search fields of narcotics," he said.

He said police arrested the kingpin of the drug trade, identified as Bullet Mahalingam Natrajan, from Tamil Nadu in connection with the seizure of amphetamine in Chalisgaon in Jalgaon district.

His wife and two sons, who have 11 cases registered against them under the NDPS Act, were also booked, while a look-out notice was issued against one of Natrajan's sons, who fled India.