254 arrested, ₹15.71L seized during anti-drug drive in Punjab
Over 500 police teams, comprising over 4,000 personnel, cordoned off 392 drug hotspots. As many as 352 checkpoints were also laid around the drug hotspots.
As many as 254 persons were arrested and ₹15.71 lakh drug money was seized during a cordon-and-search operation that was taken up between 8 am and 2 pm across all 28 police districts of the state on Friday. Themed EAGLE-IV, the campaign’s focus was on drug hotspots and the action saw 221 first information reports (FIRs) registered, the state government stated in a release.
Over 500 police teams, comprising over 4,000 personnel, cordoned off 392 drug hotspots. As many as 352 checkpoints were also laid around the drug hotspots, the statement added. The credentials of 4,575 suspicious persons were verified during the drive.
Special DGP (law and order) Arpit Shukla said 2.6-kg heroin, ₹15.71 lakh drug money, 83-kg poppy husk, 2.6-kg ganja, 550-gm opium, 7,553 intoxicating tablets and a huge quantity of illicit liquor and lahan were seized.
Conducted on the directions of director general of police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav, the drive saw Special DGP/ADGP/IGP/DIG rank officers joining the commissioners of police and the senior superintendents of police to conduct the massive operation.
Special DGP (law and order) Arpit Shukla, who joined SSP Guneet Singh Khurana in Rupnagar, said a strict vigil is being kept on the movement of drones, which have emerged as the new modus operandi to smuggle drugs, weapons and explosives from across the border. There have been a total of 906 drone sightings reported in all the border districts of the state since September 2019, of which 187 drones were successfully recovered, he added.
He said that the properties of big fish (caught with 2 kg or more heroin) are also being forfeited. “The police have forfeited 459 properties worth ₹200 crore of big smugglers since CM Mann-led Punjab government came into power, while 559 more proposals to freeze properties worth ₹246 crore are pending with the competent authority,” said Special DGP Shukla.