40K drug smugglers held in 30 months, say Punjab Police
The Punjab Police have arrested 39,840 drug smugglers, including 5,856 major traffickers (big fish), during the two-and-a-half-year tenure of the AAP government led by CM Bhagwant Mann. The “big fish” are categorised as those found smuggling commercial quantities of drugs, such as 250 grams or more of heroin.
IGP Dr Sukhchain Singh Gill, the police spokesperson, reported that since March 2022, the Punjab Police have registered 29,152 first information reports (FIRs), 3,581 of which are related to commercial quantities of drugs.
As part of ongoing operations, the police have seized 2,546 kg of heroin across the state, along with 2,457 kg of opium, 1,156 quintals of poppy husk, and 4.29 crore tablets, capsules, and injections of pharmaceutical opioids. Additionally, Rs 30.83 crore in drug-related money has been seized.
The Punjab Police have also confiscated properties worth Rs 324.28 crore from 602 major smugglers. Another 192 cases, involving assets worth Rs 103.50 crore, are awaiting approval for seizure.
To combat the drug menace, the state government has implemented a three-pronged strategy focused on enforcement, prevention, and rehabilitation. Under Section 64-A of the NDPS Act, 295 drug users caught with small amounts of narcotics have opted for rehabilitation instead of legal action.
In its campaign against organised crime, the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) has dismantled 508 criminal modules, arrested 1,420 gangsters, and neutralised 12. The task force has recovered 1,337 weapons and Rs 4.05 crore in drug money.
Efforts against terrorism have resulted in the arrest of 272 terrorists and the seizure of arms, including rifles, pistols, grenades, and drones. The police have also targeted the use of mobile phones in jails, blocking 475 mobile numbers and shutting down 6,500 social media accounts that glorified gangsters.
Since January 2024, 8,789 drug smugglers have been arrested, and 628 kg of heroin and Rs 10.32 crore in drug-related money have been seized.
