With three phases of polling still left, the Election Commission (EC) on Saturday said it had seized nearly Rs.9,000 crore worth of cash, liquor, drugs, precious metals and other freebies in the two months since the Lok Sabha elections were announced. In 2019, the total seizures during the Lok Sabha elections was worth Rs.3,475 crore. The contribution of seizure of drugs is Rs. 3958 Crores which is 45% of total seizures.

Data shared by the EC highlights that out of the total seizures worth Rs.8,889 crore by agencies across the country, drugs accounted for 45% or Rs.3,958 crore. The agencies have also seized Rs.849.15 crore in cash, 5.39 crore litres of liquor worth Rs.814.85 crore, Rs.1,260.33 crore of precious metals and Rs.2,006.56 crore of freebies that would have been distributed among electors. The seizure of drugs, liquor, precious metals, freebies, cash influences elections in varying degrees, some flowing directly as inducement while others through reduced levels of circulation of money. This, thereby, adversely impacts linkages of proceeds of illegal activities to political campaigns.

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 drug factory in Greater Noida wherein 26.7 kg of MDMA drug valued at Rs. 150 Crore were seized and two persons of foreign origin were arrested. The seizures in other cohorts have equally been impressive and surpasses the entire seizures of 2019 Parliamentary Elections by a big margin. Meticulous and exhaustive planning stands at its base.

Gujarat had the highest amount of seizures among all states and Union Territories, with Rs.1,461.73 crore in total seizures. The amount reflects a recent operation by the Gujarat ATS, the Narcotics Control Bureau and the Indian Coast Guard that led to seizures of 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.

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 crores in the international market.

In another operation, Gujarat ATC, Indian Coast Guard and NCB seized 173 Kgs of Hashish worth Rs. 60.5 Crore has been seized on 29 April.

“The Commission has laid special emphasis on seizure of narcotics and psychotropic substances. Analysis of data found that states/UTs which used to be transit zones are increasingly becoming consumption territories,” the EC said. The Commission led by CEC Sh. Rajiv Kumar along with ECs Sh. Gyanesh Kumar and Sh. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu held meetings with DG, 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 in two months post announcement of polls.