After completion of the four phases of the seven-phased Lok Sabha elections, teams of the Election Commission of India have seized cash, liquor, and drugs worth Rs 8,889 crore which is the highest in the electoral history of the country.
As per the information shared by the Election Commission of India, seizures during ongoing Lok Sabha elections have touched a massive Rs 8,889 crore. Out of this, the contribution of drugs seized is Rs 3,958 crore or 45% of total seizures.
"Election Commission's determined and concerted assault on money power and inducements in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections has resulted in staggering seizures worth Rs 8,889 crores by the agencies", a spokesperson of ECI said.
"Enhanced vigil against inducements including drugs and psychotropic substances has resulted in big seizure actions and continuous surge", the statement further reads.
The ECI spokesperson further said that real-time reporting of interceptions and seizures under the Election Seizure Management System (ESMS)- an in-house app has resulted in quick, regular, and precise reviews on expenditure monitoring.
"In addition, 656 expenditure observers deployed for Parliamentary Constituencies and 125 expenditure observers are also keeping a close tab on check posts, and functioning of ground level teams and are actively monitoring that citizens are not put to discomfort in the process of monitoring", the spokesperson further informed.
A close vigil is also kept in 123 Parliamentary Constituencies which are marked as Expenditure Sensitive Constituencies for more focussed vigil.
Narcotics worth Rs 3,958 crore seized by teams of ECI
Although liquor, precious metals, freebies, and cash were seized by the teams, narcotics seizures have been maximum in the ongoing electioneering.
Regular follow-ups and reviews of districts and agencies in areas of expenditure monitoring, precise data interpretation, and active participation of enforcement agencies have led to this significant spurt in seizures since March 1.
The Commission has laid special emphasis on the seizure of Narcotics and Psychotropic substances. Analysis of data found that states/UTs which used to be transit zones are increasingly becoming consumption territories.
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar addressing the nodal agencies during one of the review visits had said "Precise intel-based collaborative efforts by agencies against drugs and narcotics is need of the hour to root out the role of dirty money of drug trade in elections and more important and holistically, to save future of youth and thereby, country".
The contribution to seizure of drugs is Rs. 3958 Crores which is 45% of total seizures.
The Election Commission also involved the DG Narcotics Control Bureau to check the use of drugs in elections
The Commission led by CEC Rajiv Kumar along with Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu held a number of meetings with the DG, of the Narcotics Control Bureau to take up analytics-based proactive action for ensuring action by dedicated Nodal Officers of NCB.
Similarly, active involvement of DRI, Indian Coast Guard, State police, and other agencies was ensured during ongoing elections. All these measures have led to significant seizures two months after the post-announcement of polls.
With the increasing intensity of campaigning in the last four phases, the Commission is keeping a close tab on attempts at influencing voters through inducements and has directed the CEOs and enforcement agencies to step up the vigil. The crusade against drugs and other inducements by the Commission will continue.
Gujarat ATS, NCB, and Indian Coast Guard, in joint operations, seized drugs worth Rs 892 crore in three days
A joint force identified and intercepted a suspected Pakistani fishing boat, 'Alraza' which was carrying 14 crew members, all Pakistani on Indian waters, 180 nautical miles off the coast of Porbandar, Gujarat. The joint team of Gujarat ATS and Narcotics Control Bureau (Operations), New Delhi recovered 78 boxes of contraband suspected to be Heroin weighing roughly 86 Kgs worth nearly Rs. 602 crore in the international market.
The boat and crew were brought to Porbandar for further legal procedures. The vessel carrying drugs was intercepted by the Indian Coast Guard and ATS Gujarat.
In another case operation was based on intelligence received by ATS Gujarat that units in Rajasthan and Gujarat are involved in the illicit manufacturing of psychotropic substances such as Mephedrone. Joint teams of Gujarat ATS and NCB (Operations) Delhi conducted simultaneous raids at Amreli and Gandhinagar in Gujarat, Sirohi and Jodhpur in Rajasthan on 27th April 2024, and seized illicit manufacturing units involved in the production of Mephedrone, a psychotropic substance under the NDPS Act.
In the ongoing operations, 10 individuals have so far been detained and a total of 22 kgs of Mephedrone powder and 124 litres of Mephedrone in liquid form has been seized. The total value of the seized psychotropic substance, Mephedrone is estimated to be around Rs. 230 crore in the international market.
In the third operation the Gujarat ATC, Indian Coast Guard, and NCB seized 173 Kgs of Hashish worth Rs. 60.5 Crore has been seized on 29th April 2024. Drug factory busted in Gujarat in the joint operation of Gujarat ATS and NCB.
These elections have witnessed a series of targeted actions against the menace of drugs.
Other states apart from Gujarat, Maharashtra and Delhi have also shown seizures of drugs.
On 17.04.2024 Noida Police busted a drug factory in Greater Noida wherein 26.7 kg of MDMA drug valued at Rs. 150 Crore was seized and two persons of foreign origin were arrested.
The seizures in other cohorts have equally been impressive and surpass the entire seizures of the 2019 Parliamentary elections by a big margin.
