CHANDIGARH, June 9:
The ongoing relentless anti-drugs campaign ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ launched on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has delivered a big jolt to the financial backbone of drug syndicates with Punjab Police freezing illegally acquired properties of 157 drug smugglers worth Rs 78.52 crores and recovering Rs 13.03 crores drug money in first 100 days.
Since the launch of this anti-drug drive on March 1, 2025, Punjab Police, under the directions of Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav, has been conducting operations daily simultaneously in all the 28 Police districts of the state. Notably, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann had 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.
Special DGP Law and Order Arpit Shukla said that Hawala network has been effectively disrupted with the arrest of as many as 48 big Hawala operators, resulting in recovery of Rs 13.03 crore drug money. The freezing of illegally acquired properties and seizure of drug money from arrested drug smugglers have given a substantial setback to the economic infrastructure of drug smugglers and their network, effectively disrupting their funding channels and undermining their operational capacity, he added.
During 100 days of ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ campaign, the Special DGP said that Punjab Police has registered 9693 first information reports and arrested 16,533 drug smugglers since March 1, 2025, and recovered 627 kg heroin, 252 kg opium, 15 ton poppy husk, 9 kg charas, 264 kg ganja, 2.7 kg ICE, 2.6 kg cocaine and 26.51 lakh intoxicant pills/tablets from their possession.
Sharing details of outcome of Day 100, the Special DGP said that Punjab Police on Monday has arrested 127 drug smugglers and recovered 4.1 kg heroin, 20 kg poppy husk and ₹2.20 lakhs drug money from their possession.
Over 200 Police teams, comprising over 1400 police personnel, under the supervision of 90 gazetted officers have conducted raids at as many as 466 locations across the state leading to the registration of 99 first information reports (FIRs) across the state, he said, while adding that police teams have also checked as many as 489 suspicious persons during the day long operation.
Meanwhile, 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 46 persons to undergo de-addiction and rehabilitation treatment.
