Gandhinagar: Presenting detailed information in the Assembly on the stringent measures taken to curb the menace of drugs in the state, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi said the Gujarat government is moving ahead with a firm resolve to make the state drug-free.

He stated that the Gujarat Police has taken strict action against drug traffickers through comprehensive investigations. Properties worth ₹32.20 crore belonging to drug dealers in Kutch district have been seized. In addition, illegal constructions linked to the drug trade have been demolished as part of the government’s crackdown. The Gujarat Police has also dismantled inter-state drug mafia networks, including the ‘Pandi Brothers’, in coordination with police forces of other states.

Sanghavi said drug manufacturing units operating both within Gujarat and in other states have been unearthed and busted. Strict action has been taken by arresting drug peddlers and cartel members, conducting detailed investigations, and tracing networks to their roots.

He further added that alongside legal action, the government has adopted a humane approach to tackle drug abuse. Instead of sending drug-addicted youth to jail, efforts are being made to reintegrate them into society through counselling programmes conducted under the chairmanship of Police Commissioners in cities such as Surat and Ahmedabad, with the involvement of their families. To ensure assistance at the grassroots level, the government has decided in this year’s budget to establish new de-addiction centres in every district.

Providing additional details, Minister Kaushik Vekaria said that in the past two years, 1,647 offences have been registered across the state, leading to the seizure of approximately 41,000 kg of drugs with an estimated market value of ₹3,727 crore. In Jamnagar and Kutch districts alone, 135 offences were registered, 306 accused were arrested, and drugs worth over ₹244.59 crore were seized during the same period.

He added that the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and other agencies remain on high alert to prevent drug trafficking through sea routes. The Anti-Narcotics Task Force structure has been activated across six zones in the state to dismantle drug networks.

The drug-related crime rate in Gujarat stands at 0.8, reportedly the lowest in the country. The government has seized properties worth ₹32.20 crore in Kutch that were allegedly created through proceeds of the drug trade and has demolished illegal constructions. Illegal houses built by drug mafias on grazing and government land in Jamnagar have also been razed.

The Minister said that due to the constant vigilance of the Gujarat Police and the ATS, drug traffickers have no safe passage in the state, whether by sea or land. As a result of the government’s sustained efforts, public participation in eradicating the drug menace is steadily increasing across Gujarat. DeshGujarat