‘YUDH NASHIAN VIRUDH’ CONTINUES ON DAY 25 AS PUNJAB POLICE ARRESTS 69 DRUG SMUGGLERS AFTER 452 RAIDS

— PUNJAB POLICE COMMITTED TO MAKING PUNJAB A DRUG-FREE STATE AS PER DIRECTIONS OF CM BHAGWANT SINGH MANN

— DAY LONG OPERATION LEADS TO REGISTRATION OF 47 FIRs, RECOVERY OF 1.2KG HEROIN, 375KG POPPY HUSK

— POLICE TEAMS IN SIX DISTRICTS ALSO CHECK 212 PHARMACEUTICAL SHOPS

— OVER 200 POLICE TEAMS LED BY 93 SP/DSP RANK OFFICERS CHECKED 525 SUSPICIOUS PERSONS: SPL DGP ARPIT SHUKLA

CHANDIGARH, March 25:

          Continuing the war against drugs “Yudh Nashian Virudh” waged on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to eradicate drug menace from state consecutively for the 25th day, Punjab Police on Tuesday conducted raids at 452 locations leading to the arrest of 69 drug smugglers after registration of 47 first information reports (FIRs) across the state. With this, the number of total drug smugglers arrested has reached to 3937 in just 25 days.

          Police teams have also recovered 1.2 kg heroin, 300 grams opium, 2200 intoxicant tablets/pills/injections, 375 kg poppy husk and Rs 13000 drug money from the possession of arrested drug smugglers.

          The operation was conducted on the directions of Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav simultaneously in all 28 Police districts of the state.

          Notably, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann has asked the Commissioners of Police, Deputy Commissioners and Senior Superintendent of Police to make Punjab drug free state. The Punjab government has also constituted a 5-member Cabinet Sub Committee led by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema to monitor the war against drugs.

          Divulging details, Special DGP Law and Order Arpit Shukla informed that over 200 Police teams, comprising over 1300 police personnel, under the supervision of 93 gazetted officers have conducted raids across the state and checked as many as 525 suspicious persons during the day long operation

          He said that Punjab Police has devised a comprehensive strategy and such operations will be continued till the scourge of drugs eradicated from the state.

          The Special DGP said that with the state government has enforced a three-pronged strategy— Enforcement, Deaddiction and Prevention (EDP)— to eradicate drugs from the state, the Punjab Police as part of ‘De-addiction’ has convinced six persons to undergo de-addiction and rehabilitation treatment, while, organised 104 awareness events across the state as part of Prevention.

          Meanwhile, Police teams have also conducted checking at as many as 212 pharmaceutical shops in six districts including Commissionerate Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, SBS Nagar, Jalandhar Rural, Kapurthala and Rupnagar to ensure that they are not selling intoxicant tablets or any other habit-forming drugs, and are adhering to the prescribed norms and regulations regarding the sale of medicines.