Punjab Police’s efforts in the fight against drugs have resulted in the arrest of 10,524 drug smugglers and the attachment of Rs 208 crore worth of assets linked to narcotics trafficking since January 2024. The state Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on Friday reported these achievements, emphasizing the multi-layered approach being employed to dismantle the drug trade across urban and rural Punjab.

DGP Yadav highlighted Punjab Police’s intensified operations, which include sweeping cordon-and-search drives in affected regions, vigilant checkpoints on high-risk routes, and a broad clampdown on drug distribution networks within towns and villages. He confirmed that 153 major smugglers, or “big fish”, were among those apprehended, along with substantial seizures of contraband. This year alone, authorities have confiscated 790 kilograms of heroin, 860 kilograms of opium, and 367 quintals of poppy husk. Additionally, 93 kilograms of charas, 724 kilograms of ganja, 19 kilograms of ICE, and over 2.9 crore pharma opioid tablets and injections were recovered from various traffickers and networks.

Aiming to curb drug-related financial gains, Punjab Police has also frozen assets totaling Rs 208 crore, associated with 362 high-profile traffickers. The police force has initiated the seizure of assets worth an additional Rs 289 crore, with cases pending approval. Seized assets play a crucial role in debilitating drug lords’ financial strength, effectively undercutting their influence.

One of the most significant recent arrests involves Avtar Singh, alias Tari, a notorious trafficker from Shahur Kalan village in Gurdaspur district. Singh was detained under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (PIT-NDPS) Act and has been sentenced to two years in Central Jail, Bathinda. This detention represents the first instance where preventive detention under Sections 3(1) and 10 of the PIT-NDPS Act has been enacted by Punjab authorities, marking a milestone in the state’s anti-narcotics initiative.

The establishment of Punjab’s specialized Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) has been pivotal in these efforts. Equipped with advanced facilities, the ANTF has played a vital role in tackling high-profile cases and assisting in the capture of numerous smugglers and proclaimed offenders. The ANTF has successfully arrested 731 proclaimed offenders and absconders in NDPS cases, reflecting the agency’s resolve in locating and bringing to justice those evading law enforcement.