Chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Saturday claimed that the state is decisively turning the tide against entrenched drug and organised crime networks, citing the arrest of 85,418 drug smugglers over the last three and a half years, and 88% conviction rate under the NDPS Act, and the apprehension of 916 gangsters since January 1, 2025.
Reviewing the performance of the police here, Mann noted that sustained enforcement, tighter investigations and zero political interference are translating into outcomes on the ground, marking a clear shift from rhetoric to results in the state’s long fight against the drug menace. He said that ever since his government assumed the charge of office, 63,053 cases have been registered against the drug smugglers. “Since the ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ was launched this year, 30,144 FIRs have been registered and 40,302 smugglers have been arrested,” he added. The drive was launched on March 1.
The chief minister said that a multipronged strategy largely based on three principles of enforcement, de-addiction and prevention was formulated to combat drugs. He said 5,119.94 kg of heroin, 3,458.53-kg opium, 5.82-kg cocaine, 82.04-kg ice and 4.98-crore capsules along with ₹52.46 crore drug money has been recovered over the last three-and-a-half years. Mann said the state has accorded the highest priority to the fight against drugs since 2022, adopting a comprehensive, sustained and outcome-oriented approach combining enforcement, financial disruption, technology-enabled policing, conviction certainty, public participation and humane rehabilitation.
The CM said one of the most significant deterrent outcomes has been achieved through financial investigations as over 1,400 proposals for freezing of illegally acquired properties were confirmed. Properties worth more than ₹2,730 crore were frozen/confirmed between 2022 and 2025. “This has sent a clear message that proceeds of drug crime will not be allowed to sustain narcotics networks in Punjab. Also, 25,000 NDPS cases have been decided by courts, with more than 21,600 convictions,” he said. Overall conviction rate stands at approximately 84%, reaching 88% in 2025. On action against gangsters, he said that from January 1 till December 17, the police had arrested 916 gangsters, neutralised 13, busted 389 modules and recovered 594 weapons.
{{/usCountry}}The CM said one of the most significant deterrent outcomes has been achieved through financial investigations as over 1,400 proposals for freezing of illegally acquired properties were confirmed. Properties worth more than ₹2,730 crore were frozen/confirmed between 2022 and 2025. “This has sent a clear message that proceeds of drug crime will not be allowed to sustain narcotics networks in Punjab. Also, 25,000 NDPS cases have been decided by courts, with more than 21,600 convictions,” he said. Overall conviction rate stands at approximately 84%, reaching 88% in 2025. On action against gangsters, he said that from January 1 till December 17, the police had arrested 916 gangsters, neutralised 13, busted 389 modules and recovered 594 weapons.
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