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Ludhiana: 150-gm heroin seized, five ‘peddlers’ held in Talwandi
Police commissioner Swapan Sharma says specialised units, including the CIA, crime branch and special cell are working in synergy to dismantle the drug supply network in Ludhiana
The Ludhiana police on Friday morning arrested five drug peddling accused during a cordon-and-search operation (CASO) carried out in Talwandi village under the jurisdiction of the Ladhowal police station. Police commissioner Swapan Sharma said the CASO was based on sustained surveillance of eight individuals suspected of drug trafficking. Acting on intelligence inputs and public complaints, five of them were apprehended during the early morning operation. Heroin weighing over 150 gm was recovered from their possession, Sharma said.
All those arrested have a criminal history, with a total of 18 previous FIRs already registered against them, officials said. They were currently out on bail. The police also seized fake documents and identity records allegedly used to shield their illicit trade.
Police commissioner Sharma highlighted that specialised units, including the CIA, crime branch, and special cell, were working in synergy to dismantle the drug supply network in Ludhiana. “In the past four months, the Ludhiana police have registered 467 cases related to drug peddling, arrested 623 individuals, and seized 20 kg of heroin, 15 kg of opium and nearly 300 kg of poppy husk,” he said.
He also revealed that bail orders in drug peddling cases now carry a specific clause allowing cancellation if the accused is caught reoffending. “Bail has already been cancelled in six such cases,” he said.
Further, 14 properties valued at ₹3 crore linked to drug traffickers have been frozen, while 10 illegal or encroached properties associated with narcotics activity have been demolished.
In addition to enforcement, the police have focused on rehabilitation. So far, 105 drug addicts have been admitted to de-addiction centres and 627 are undergoing treatment through OOAT clinics. The department has also conducted 345 awareness meetings with residents to educate them on the dangers of substance abuse, the police said.
“Patrolling has been intensified and CASO-style operations will continue in identified hotspots to ensure criminals have no breathing room,” the police commissioner added.
