Chandigarh, April 9
The war against drugs under ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to eradicate the drug menace from the state entered the 40th day on Wednesday.
Punjab Police on Wednesday arrested 111 drug smugglers and recovered 3.7 kg heroin, 253 kg poppy husk, and Rs 98,800 drug money from their possession.
An official said that the number of total drug smugglers arrested has reached 5,535 in just 40 days, adding that the operation was conducted on the directions of Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav simultaneously in all 28 police districts.
Notably, Chief Minister Mann has asked the Commissioners of Police, Deputy Commissioners and Senior Superintendent of Police to make Punjab a drug-free state.
The government has also constituted a five-member Cabinet Sub-Committee led by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema to monitor the war against drugs.
Divulging details, Special DGP (Law and Order) Arpit Shukla informed that over 200 police teams, comprising over 1,100 police personnel, under the supervision of 77 gazetted officers, have conducted raids at 399 locations, leading to the registration of 66 first information reports (FIRs) across the state.
He added that the police teams have also checked 437 suspicious people during the day-long operation.
Meanwhile, the state government has enforced a three-pronged strategy, Enforcement, De-addiction and Prevention (EDP), to eradicate drugs.
In a major blow to drug trafficking networks, Amritsar Rural Police this week claimed that it has apprehended Tamandeep Singh, a resident of Kakkar village, and recovered two kg heroin and 900 gm ICE (crystal meth) from his possession.
A first information report (FIR) under the NDPS Act has been registered at the police station Lopoke.
Further investigation is underway to trace the forward and backward linkages and dismantle the entire network involved, added the DGP.