launching a major offensive against drug peddlers in Punjab, the State Government on an average, has arrested 33 people daily since it came to power on March 16.
In all, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Friday claimed that his Government has, so far, made 497 arrests in drugs related cases. He has also asked the State Police force to become more aggressive to take forward Government’s anti-drugs campaign.
Capt Amarinder said that the anti-drugs campaign kick started by his Government was yielding results and would get a further boost with the STF chief Harpreet Sidhu taking charge on Friday.
Congress, before coming to power, had promised to eliminate drugs from the State, with Capt Amarinder vowing, with ‘gutka’ in his hand, to do so within four weeks of coming to power. With half of the time already passed, the Congress Government is now going full throttle.
“The anti-drugs campaign kick-started by the Government is yielding results. With 240 tip-offs received in just two days since the Punjab Police re-activated and advertised its 181 helpline for drugs, the number of arrests in drugs cases has gone up to nearly 500,” he said.
An official spokesperson from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said that from March 16 to March 29, 497 drug traders and peddlers had been booked, with 449 cases registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) Act.
Giving the break-up of the drugs seizures made during this period, the spokesperson said that 4.034 kg heroin and 0.605 kg smack were recovered from those arrested.
Other seizures included 2.22 kg of charas, 24.46 kg of opium, 715.31 kg of poppy husk and 1.879 kg of bhang. The police have also recovered 12.519 kg of intoxicant powder, 1,576 injections, 1,11,893 pills or capsules, 72.78 kg of ganja and 133 syrup bottles.
Capt Amarinder Government has set up a Special Task Force (STF) under Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Harpreet Sidhu to check the drug menace.
Capt Amarinder said that he had directed the police and intelligence departments, which are involved in the crackdown on drugs, to reach out to the people even more aggressively in the coming days to take their support in realising his Government’s goal of wiping out the
drugs menace from the State in four weeks.
The Government has assured that the identity of anyone reporting any drugs related crime on the helpline would be protected, which has instilled confidence among the members of the public, who are coming out with information without fear, the Chief Minister said.
“Majority of the tip-offs received are related to information about sale points and people involved in drug trade. No drug user would be harassed by the police or other agencies,” he added.
A multi-state agency operation is under way in the State to deal with the drugs menace. SHO level teams, backed by CIA and Anti-Narcotics Cell units, have been formed in every district to implement the Government’s campaign to wipe out drugs from the State in four weeks.
State Special Operations (SSOP) cells have joined the drive, and the civil administration is also extending its full support to the anti-drugs campaign by the various police and intelligence agencies.
Capt Amarinder has directed the State agencies to coordinate with Central agencies such as the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and the Customs Department to check the supply and smuggling of drugs into the State from other parts of India and abroad.