Nearly 40,000 drug smugglers held in past 2.5 years: Punjab Police
2,546-kg heroin seized from across the state after carrying out cordon and search operations in drug-affected areas.
Punjab Police on Monday said it arrested 39,840 drug smugglers and registered 29,152 FIRs in the past two and a half years.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sukhchain Singh Gill said police have recovered 2,546kg heroin from across the state after carrying out cordon and search operations in drug-affected areas.
Also, 2,457 kg opium, 1,156 quintals of poppy husk, and 4.29 crore tablets, capsules and injections of pharma opioids were recovered from across the state, he said, adding that ₹30.83 crore of drug money had been seized from the possession of drug smugglers arrested during this period.
The police have forfeited properties of 602 big smugglers worth ₹324.28 crores in the last two and a half years, while as many as 192 cases to freeze properties worth ₹103.50 crore are pending with the competent authority for approval, the IGP said. The state government has enforced a three-pronged strategy “enforcement, prevention and rehabilitation” to eradicate drugs from Punjab.
As part of the strategy, the Punjab Police has been promoting and creating awareness about section 64-A of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, which provides an opportunity to a drug consumer, caught with a few grams of heroin or narcotic powder, for rehabilitation.
“As many as 295 drug consumers, caught with little quantity of drugs, in 245 cases availed provision of section 64-A of the NDPS Act by pledging to undergo the rehabilitation treatment,” said the IGP.
He informed 2,378 proclaimed offenders in drug cases have been arrested since March 16, 2022.
The IGP further mentioned that the police have busted 45 terror modules and arrested 272 terrorists. The police have recovered 34 rifles, 303 revolvers or pistols, 14 hand grenades and 290 drones.
In action against use of mobile phones inside jails, Punjab Police have blacklisted as many as 1,663 IMEI numbers and blocked 475 mobile numbers.
Apart from this, at least 6,500 social media accounts glorifying gangsters and promoting violence have been blocked.
