Continuing the war against drugs “Yudh Nashian Virudh” waged by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to eradicate drug menace from state consecutively for the 155th day, Punjab Police conducted raids at 399 locations on Sunday leading to the arrest of 116 drug smugglers after registration of 75 first information reports (FIRs) across the state. With this, the number of total drug smugglers arrested has reached to 24,499 in 155 days.
The raids have resulted in recovery of 1.7 kg heroin, 1 kg opium, 298 kg poppy husk, 37,085 intoxicant tablets/capsules and Rs 11.88 lakh drug money from the possession of arrested drug smugglers.
The operation was conducted on the directions of Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav simultaneously in all 28 Police districts of the state.
Notably, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann has asked the Commissioners of Police, Deputy Commissioners and Senior Superintendent of Police to make Punjab drug free state. The Punjab government has also constituted a 5-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 180 Police teams, comprising over 1300 police personnel, under the supervision of 77 gazetted officers have conducted raids across the state. Police teams have also checked as many as 433 suspicious persons during the day-long operation, he added.
The Special DGP said that with the state government has enforced a three-pronged strategy— Enforcement, Deaddiction and Prevention (EDP)— to eradicate drugs from the state, the Punjab Police as part of 'De-addiction’ has convinced 90 persons to undergo de-addiction and rehabilitation treatment today.