Cordon and search ops conducted at drug hotspots in Mohali district
Mohali, June 16
The Punjab Police conducted a massive state-level Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) at identified drug hotspots and vulnerable areas on Sunday.
With a focus on controlling the drug supply at ‘Point of Sale’, the operation was conducted on the directions of Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav. It was conducted in all 28 police districts of the state simultaneously from 11am to 2pm. Range ADGPs, IGPs, DIGs and CPs, and SSPs were asked to personally supervise the operation in their respective district.
The CP and SSPs were told to plan the operation in a meticulous manner by identifying drug hotspots in their respective districts or certain areas which have become the safe haven for drug peddlers.
Special DGP Law and Order Arpit Shukla, who joined Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Ropar Range Nilambari Jagdale and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Dr Sandeep Garg in Mohali, said that the Punjab Police in its sincere efforts to eradicate drug menace from the border state has been following a multi-pronged strategy — enforcement, de-addiction and prevention (EDP).
“Under the enforcement part, the police have been focusing on controlling the drug supply at the point of sale by booking small drug peddlers. The illegally acquired properties of big fish are being forfeited under Section 68F of the NDPS Act,” he said. He added that the second line of defence all along the border has also been strengthened to prevent drug smuggling from across the border.
The Special DGP said that after clear directions from the Punjab DGP, a major reshuffle of police personnel — who have been posted at police stations for three or above — is underway across the state.
He said that the police officers have categorically been asked to look into forward and backward linkages of all the cases being registered under the NDPS Act and take strict action against those found in collusion with the drug smugglers. The drug smugglers lodged in jails are also being monitored, he added.
Special DGP Arpit Shukla said following the strenuous efforts of the state police to root out drug menace from Punjab, heroin recoveries have jumped 5.6 times since 2017. As per information, the Punjab Police seized a record heroin of about 1346 kg in 2023, while 594kg was seized in 2022, 571kg in 2021, 760kg in 2020, 460kg in 2019, 424kg in 2018 and 179kg in 2017.
Similarly, the conviction rate in the NDPS Act has also improved from 59 per cent in 2018 to 81 per cent in 2023, he added. Apart from the enforcement of laws against drug trafficking, the police has also launched a special campaign against drugs to educate the masses and get support of the general public in the fight against drugs. As part of de-addiction, those who are caught with little quantity of drugs are exhorted to avail the provision of Section 64-A of the NDPS Act. It provides them with an opportunity for de-addiction and rehabilitation, he added.
Sharing details of CASO, the Special DGP said over 450 police teams, comprising over 3,000 police personnel, have cordoned off as many as 280 drug hotspots. During the operation, the police registered 140 first information reports (FIRs) after arresting 166, he said.
Shukla said the police teams have recovered 2.7kg heroin, Rs 1.50 lakh drug money, 12.2kg poppy husk, 5,820 intoxicant tablets and a huge quantity of illicit and licit liquor and lahan, besides, impounding 16 motorcycles and three cars.
