CHANDIGARH, August 23:
Continuing the war against drugs “Yudh Nashian Virudh” waged by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to eradicate drug menace from state consecutively for the 175th day, Punjab Police conducted raids at 470 locations on Saturday leading to the arrest of 134 drug smugglers after registration of 95 first information reports (FIRs) across the state. With this, the number of total drug smugglers arrested has reached to 27,039 in 175 days.
The raids have resulted in recovery of 2.9 kg heroin, 9 kg poppy husk, 963 intoxicant tablets/capsules and Rs 12,420 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 150 Police teams, comprising over 1400 police personnel, under the supervision of 82 gazetted officers have conducted raids across the state. Police teams have also checked as many as 490 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 70 persons to undergo de-addiction and rehabilitation treatment today.
