The police stations in the drive include Chembur, Govandi, Nehru Nagar and Chunabhatti
The campaign involves local partici-pation at the police station level
The Zone 6 division of Greater Mumbai Police, comprising 10 police stations—Chembur, Govandi, Nehru Nagar, Chunabhatti, Trombay, RCF, Mankhurd, Deonar, Shivaji Nagar, and Tilak Nagar—has launched a “Drugs-Free” campaign to tackle drug-related crimes, curb consumption, and ensure public well-being.
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Initiated in January this year, the campaign involves local participation at the police station level. “At the start of the campaign, we engaged with locals, including activists and regular community members, through corner meetings. We first discussed their concerns, and based on their inputs, we extended the necessary support as law enforcement,” explained a senior officer.
This campaign is the brainchild of Additional Commissioner of Police Mahesh Patil and is being led by Deputy Commissioner of Police Navnath Dhavale, along with senior police inspectors of the respective police stations. To ensure its success, a special team has been formed at each police station.
DCP Dhavale said, “During the corner meetings, citizens are provided with a contact number to alert us about any suspicious activity, any time and anywhere. We are available on this number 24x7, and as soon as we receive an alert, a team is promptly dispatched within the jurisdiction. This campaign empowers citizens, giving them control over their locality—that’s the core idea behind it.”
So far, police have seized various types of drugs worth over Rs 24 lakh and registered more than 80 cases, leading to the arrest of over 65 individuals for possession and consumption of commercial drugs. Of these, 32 individuals were identified as drug peddlers.
According to the police, the most commonly sold and consumed drugs are ganja (marijuana) and mephedrone (MD), while heroin and cocaine are less frequently sold and consumed. Local resident Fayyaz Abdul said, “I’ve been living in Govandi for decades, and I can vouch that campaigns like these are necessary. Every time I step out, I see groups of minors sitting in public, smoking ganja or consuming powdered drugs like MD.”
Rehan Shaikh, 49, another resident, praised the initiative but emphasised that there is still a long way to go for real change. “Lack of education and employment is one of the reasons why the youth are wasting their lives away. While police initiatives and campaigns with organizations are a step in the right direction, nothing will truly change unless the people in this society begin to think differently,” he said.
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Individuals held for possession and consumption of commercial drugs. Drugs worth Rs 24 lakh were seized, said the police
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