The Bill amending the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) to include drug peddling and narcotics-related offences was passed on Monday (July 14, 2025) in the Maharashtra Legislative Council. 

Yogesh Kadam, Minister of State for Home (Urban), in the Council said, “ The handlers of commercial quantity will be charged under MCOCA. We are bringing drug-related activities under this law as things are getting worst  and drugs related crimes are the treated as the organised crime.” 

He further added that, “Within 12 days we amended this Bill. On July 2, CM Fadnavis announced that drug peddlers would soon be booked under MCOCA and now have fulfilled that promise.”

The drug- related crimes are booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substance s (NDPS) Act, 1985. After the amendments, the large-scale drug trafficking as a form of organised crime.

Opposition has welcomed this move and raised concerns around the modus operandi of drug peddlers involving minors.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Mr. Sardesai in the Assembly raised concerns over Nigerians’ involvement in drug-pedalling and drug cartels in the Bandra East areas, including Naupada, Behrampada, Bharatnagar, and Golibarnagar.

Referring to open-drug peddling in these areas, Mr. Sardesai said, “Despite open drug peddling, criminals are not caught as police do not have access to these areas. Can we give orders to establish the beat chowki?”

Mr. Sardesai raised questions around minors used in the drug cartel and the action on the Nigerians and other African nationals settled in Bandra East.

State in process to lay SOP to deport foreign nationals associated with drug-related cases

Maharashtra government is in the process of forming standard operating procedures (SOPs) to deport Nigerians and other foreign nationals involved in drug-related cases, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Monday in the State Assembly.

“The work is underway to draft an SOP for deporting Nigerian and other foreign offenders, whose modus operandi is to commit petty crime to extend their stay in the country,” said Mr. Fadnavis, while replying to Bandra East legislator Varun Sardesai.

Mr. Fadnavis pointed out the Centre is working on SOP, wherein to dismiss the small crime cases on Nigerians involved in drug-pedalling and deport them. 

Mr. Fadnavis mentioned to study whether it is possible to reduce the age bracket for punishing the accused by two years in case of minors, similar to laws related to rape. “We are also considering whether to hold individuals accountable connected to the minors and charge that person,” Mr. Fadnavis added.