Punjab: 23 drug convicts’ properties worth over ₹3 crore seized

Properties worth ₹10 lakh were permanently confiscated and apart from this, proceedings for attaching property worth around ₹1.38 crore in seven other cases have also been initiated

Properties worth ₹3.38 crore of 23 drug convicts in 13 Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act cases were seized at various locations in the district, Faridkot senior superintendent of police Pragya Jain said on Tuesday.

As per police records, in 2023, 193 NDPS Act cases were registered in the Faridkot district, while in 2024, 248 cases were registered. (HT File)

She said that in three cases, properties worth ₹10 lakh were permanently confiscated and apart from this, proceedings for attaching property worth around ₹1.38 crore in seven other cases have also been initiated.

“Under Section 68-F(2) of the NDPS Act, approval was obtained from the competent authority of the government of India’s finance department to attach these movable and immovable assets, which were acquired through drug trafficking. Until further orders, the accused cannot sell or purchase these properties, causing financial losses to them and serving as a decisive step against drug-related criminals,” she said.

“Six drug smugglers are among the convicts whose properties have been attached. They were sentenced to 10 years imprisonment by the courts in separate drug-related cases. The properties worth ₹74 lakh of convict Hardeep Singh of Jaitu have also been attached. Hardeep is facing as many as 10 cases including six NDPS Act cases,” she added.

As per police records, in 2023, 193 NDPS Act cases were registered in the Faridkot district, while in 2024, 248 cases were registered. A total of 333 accused were arrested in 2024 in drug-related cases, compared to 309 in 2023, with 134 arrests in the last five months alone.