Punjab’s Anti-Narcotic Task Force (ANTF) and Gurdaspur Police executed the state’s first preventive detention under the stringent PIT-NDPS Act, detaining notorious smuggler Avtar Singh, alias Tari, for two years. This landmark action highlights Punjab’s commitment to making the state drug-free, said Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on Friday.

Avtar Singh, hailing from the border village of Shahur Kalan in Gurdaspur, has been implicated in smuggling 231 kilograms of heroin across the India-Pakistan border, reportedly maintaining close ties with Pakistan-based smugglers. Under Section 3 of the PIT-NDPS Act, Tari was detained to prevent his continued involvement in illicit narcotics trafficking, marking a milestone for Punjab’s law enforcement. This provision allows the government to place high-risk traffickers under preventive custody, a powerful tool to curb drug flow in the region.

DGP Yadav took to his X handle (formerly Twitter) to emphasize the significance of this operation: “This marks Punjab’s first successful use of the stringent provisions of the PIT-NDPS Act, enabling preventive detention in narcotics-related cases.” Tari has since been transferred to Bathinda Central Jail, signaling an unwavering stance against drug traffickers and a substantial step forward in Punjab’s anti-drug mission.

Living in his border village, Tari’s operations spread drug addiction among the youth while destabilizing Punjab’s social fabric. Beyond this detention, Tari was convicted and sentenced in two previous narcotics cases under the NDPS Act, underscoring his long-standing role in narcotic trafficking.

DGP Yadav affirmed that the Punjab Police is intensifying efforts, with more preventive detentions on the horizon to dismantle trafficking networks across the state, showcasing the administration's resolute commitment to ending Punjab’s drug crisis.