The figures highlight the city's continued struggle against drug abuse while reflecting law enforcement's focus on tackling both users and traffickers.
Mumbai Police registered 4,012 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between January and June this year, with drug consumption accounting for the overwhelming majority of offences.
The figures highlight the city's continued struggle against drug abuse while reflecting law enforcement's focus on tackling both users and traffickers.
According to official data, 3,426 cases were related to drug consumption, compared to 586 cases involving possession of narcotics. During the six-month period, police arrested 3,787 individuals and seized drugs valued at more than ₹206.38 crore.
MD Tops Seizure Value, Ganja Leads in Quantity
Among the drugs confiscated, ganja was recovered in the largest quantity, with 428.45 kg seized. However, mephedrone (MD) emerged as the most valuable narcotic due to its high market price.
The seizures included:
428.45 kg of ganja
45.64 kg of MD
12.63 kg of charas
2.77 kg of heroin
0.85 kg of cocaine
4.98 kg of other narcotic substances
215 tablets
95.8 litres of cough syrup
Of the total seizure value, MD alone accounted for nearly ₹146.7 crore, representing around 71% of all drugs confiscated during the period.
The significant gap between consumption and possession cases indicates that demand-side enforcement continues to be a major priority for Mumbai Police. Authorities have also maintained pressure on both street-level peddlers and larger drug trafficking networks through coordinated action by local police stations and anti-narcotics units.
Pattern Mirrors Previous Year
A similar trend was observed in the previous year. Police registered 7,623 NDPS cases, including 6,482 drug consumption cases and 1,141 possession cases, leading to the arrest of 6,777 people.
During 2025, authorities seized 1,758.97 kg of narcotic substances, 15,911 tablets, and 1,737.24 litres of cough syrup, with the total value of the confiscated drugs estimated at ₹857.12 crore.
The seizures included:
1,397.17 kg of ganja
313.72 kg of MD
12.82 kg of heroin
23.37 kg of charas
11.13 kg of cocaine
Official records further reveal the scale of the state's drug problem. Between 2021 and 2025, enforcement agencies across Maharashtra seized approximately 5.7 tonnes of MD, valued at nearly ₹6,550 crore.
Government Pushes for Stronger Anti-Drug Measures
Amid rising concerns over narcotics trafficking, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis recently directed authorities to intensify efforts to dismantle the illegal drug economy.
During a high-level review meeting, he instructed all departments to work in coordination to curb the production, transportation, sale, and distribution of both natural and synthetic drugs, reiterating the government's commitment to making Maharashtra drug-free.
Recent Enforcement: Smuggling Syndicates at Mumbai Airport
In a separate crackdown on organised smuggling, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) uncovered two gold smuggling syndicates operating through Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA). The operations resulted in the arrest of eight individuals and the seizure of 15.764 kg of foreign-origin gold valued at ₹23.63 crore.
The action was carried out by the DRI's Mumbai Zonal Unit under the Customs Act, 1962.
Case 1: In the first operation, DRI officers intercepted three foreign passengers arriving from Addis Ababa over Thursday and Friday. A subsequent search of the aircraft led to the recovery of 12 kg of 24-carat foreign-origin gold bars, worth approximately ₹18 crore.
Investigators alleged that the passengers had concealed the gold inside the aircraft so that accomplices could retrieve it later, avoiding routine customs checks.
Case 2: In another operation conducted over Wednesday and Thursday, officials intercepted two aircraft cleaning staff members, a passenger, and two other suspected syndicate members.
The team recovered 3.76 kg of 24-carat foreign-origin gold dust concealed in wax, valued at approximately ₹5.63 crore.
According to investigators, the passenger had hidden the gold aboard a flight arriving from Dubai, after which the cleaning staff were allegedly tasked with retrieving it and smuggling it out of the airport for delivery to handlers outside.
The DRI said investigations are continuing to identify additional members of the syndicates and uncover the broader smuggling network.
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