Over 16,600 FIRs were registered between April 15 last year and May 31 as part of the Punjab police's drive against drug peddling, a senior officer said here on Wednesday.
“As a result of which, 18,651 persons were arrested,” said Ishwar Singh, Director Narcotics Bureau of Punjab. He said that those arrested included peddlers in poppy husk, opium, heroin, smack, ganja, sulfa, charas, brown sugar and various intoxicants. A total of 2.41 lakh kg of poppy husk, 1,155 kg of opium, 480 kg of heroin, 53 kg of smack and a large quantity of drugs and intoxicants were captured during this period, he said.
Even in the post-lok Sabha elections scenario, the campaign continues with the same intensity, he added.
“We have busted the supply chain of heroin, smack and other narcotic drugs as we are raiding the illegal chemist shops alongside drug inspectors to check the sale of the intoxicants,” he said. Singh said that heroin was mostly sold in border areas while poppy husk and synthetic drugs were sold in Bathinda and Patiala respectively.