Navi Mumbai Police have intensified action against four women allegedly linked to the city's narcotics network. Together, they face 22 criminal cases, with one booked under MCOCA, two currently in jail and another externed from Maharashtra. The crackdown is part of the ‘Nasha-Mukt Navi Mumbai’ campaign.

Navi Mumbai Police have intensified action against four women allegedly linked to the city's narcotics supply network | AI Generated Representational Image

Navi Mumbai, August 27, 2026: The Navi Mumbai Police have intensified their crackdown on the city's drug network by taking stringent legal action against four women allegedly involved in large-scale narcotics trafficking.

The four accused together face 22 criminal cases, with two currently lodged in jail, one booked under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), and another externed from Maharashtra.

According to the Anti-Narcotics Cell, the women have been identified as Shantabai Karandekar, Sitabai Ingle, Rani Joseph and Lali Gani Sheikh. Police are also verifying whether further preventive action can be initiated against others linked to the drug supply network.

Action Against Accused Women

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Shantabai Karandekar, accused of running a drug racket in the Digha area for the past seven to eight years through intimidation, has eight cases registered against her. She has been booked under MCOCA and is currently lodged in Byculla Jail.

Sitabai Ingle faces six criminal cases and was arrested in a narcotics case registered at Turbhe Police Station. She is also lodged in Byculla Jail.

Rani Joseph, against whom two cases are registered, was arrested on August 25 in connection with a case registered at Khandeshwar Police Station.

Lali Gani Sheikh, who has six cases registered against her, has been externed from Maharashtra under a High Court order in connection with a case registered at Turbhe Police Station.

Police Examine Further Action

"The accused women were actively involved in the narcotics supply chain in Navi Mumbai. We have taken strong legal action against them, and further preventive action against others associated with the network is being examined," said Senior Police Inspector Sandeep Nigade of the Anti-Narcotics Cell.

The action is part of the Navi Mumbai Police's 'Nasha-Mukt Navi Mumbai' campaign launched in January 2025 under the Maharashtra government's zero-tolerance policy against drugs.

Over the past three years, the commissionerate has arrested 2,919 people for drug trafficking and seized 1,027 kg of narcotic substances worth around Rs 142 crore. Police have also taken action against 1,822 drug consumers and initiated preventive action against 300 habitual offenders.

Anti-Narcotics Operations Intensified

To strengthen anti-drug operations, the Navi Mumbai Police have established dedicated Anti-Narcotics Cells in every police station, becoming the first police commissionerate in Maharashtra to implement such a system. Police said the initiative has helped improve surveillance of local drug networks and enabled quicker action against traffickers.

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The commissionerate has also cracked an international hydro-ganja racket through special drives, 'Operation Garuda' and 'Operation Prahar', during which 250 foreign nationals were arrested and 2,211 were deported to their respective countries.

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