Intensifying its war to eradicate drugs menace from the state, the Punjab Police, under its special drive launched against the drug menace, have arrested 392 persons after registering 283 FIRs under the NDPS Act across the state. The week-long drive commenced on February 25.
The state Director General of Police (DGP) Dinkar Gupta, divulging details, said that under this drive, the police have recovered heroin as well as other drugs after carrying out cordon and search operations in drug affected areas besides laying nakas at vulnerable routes across the state. The police have also arrested 15 Proclaimed Offenders (POs) of NDPS cases during these three days.
“As part of the Punjab Government’s zero tolerance policy against the drugs, the Punjab Police is committed to eradicate the drug menace from the state,” said Gupta adding that extensive anti-drug drives are being initiated from time-to-time to combat the menace of drugs in Punjab.
“The Punjab Police had set a new record by seizing over 700 kgs heroin worth Rs 3,500 crores in the international market and confiscating property worth Rs 101 crores after arresting over 10,000 drug smugglers in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic,” said the DGP.
He said that massive crackdown on drugs not only led to break the supply chain of drugs but also resulted in decline in drug-related deaths as only 19 drug related deaths were reported in year 2020 in comparison to 2019 and 2018, which had witnessed 47 and 111 drug related deaths respectively.
Under the current anti-drug drive, Tarn Taran Police carried out a mammoth exercise based on technical collection, data crunching, and human intelligence to identify areas notorious for drug smuggling and recovered 1.39 kg heroin and a large number of intoxicant tablets in just three days.
Interestingly, one of the arrested drug suppliers of Tarn Taran used to barter drugs with motorcycle or mobile phones, mostly stolen or snatched.
Similarly, the Amritsar Rural Police have recovered drug money worth Rs 89 lakhs besides impounding one pistol and 25 cartridges while the Jalandhar Commissionerate Police have recovered 6.23 kg Opium, 4.50 quintal poppy husk, 237grams heroin and 4.7 kg Ganja.
Meanwhile, the data from April 1, 2017, till date reveals that the Punjab Police have recovered 1760 kg heroin, 25 kg smack and 1794 kg opium from the drug smugglers and suppliers besides seizure or attachment of property worth Rs 163 crores.
On January 31, 2020, the Special Task Force (STF) of Punjab Police had seized 197 kg heroin and other contraband from the illegal drug factory set-up in a rented house at village Sultanwind of Amritsar and arrested six persons, including an Afghanistan national and a woman.a