In the two months since the announcement of Lok Sabha election dates, enforcement agencies have seized nearly £900 mn worth of cash, liquor, drugs, precious metals and ‘freebies’ from across India. This amount is more than two and a half times the total seizures (£347.5 mn) made during the entire 2019 LS elections. With three more rounds of polling scheduled for over the next two weeks, the total value of seizures during this general elections is expected to rise.
According to Election Commission data, out of the total £888.9 mn worth of seizures, drugs and narcotics accounted for approximately 45%, followed by ‘freebies’ at 23% and precious metals at 14%. The agencies have also seized £84.9 mn in cash and around 54 mn litres of liquor worth £81.5 mn.
Among all states and UTs, seizure in Gujarat in value terms was maximum at around £146.2 mn, mainly on account of a recent joint operation by Gujarat ATS, Narcotics Control Bureau and Indian Coast Guard which led to three high-value seizures of drugs worth £89.2 mn. Rajasthan ranks second in the list where maximum ‘freebies’ worth around £75.7 mn were seized by the agencies.
The election panel claimed these elections have witnessed a series of targeted actions against the menace of drugs. Apart from Gujarat, Maharashtra and Delhi have also reported seizures of drugs. On April 17, Noida Police busted a drug factory in Greater Noida from where 26.7 kg of MDMA drug valued at £15 mn was seized and two foreigners were arrested. “The seizures in other cohorts have equally been impressive and surpasses the entire seizures of 2019 parliamentary elections by a big margin... Enhanced vigil against inducements including drugs and psychotropic substances has resulted in big seizure actions and continuous surge. Drug seizures have been maximum,” said the poll body. As per the EC, analysis of data shows that states and UTs which used to be ‘transit zones’ are increasingly becoming ‘consumption territories’.
In terms of illegal movement of liquor, Karntaka tops the list where around 15 mn litres of liquor were seized, followed by Maharashtra (approximately 62,00,000 litres).
