Punjab Police held 104 drug smugglers after raids at 335 locations

Amritsar (Punjab) [India], August 11 (ANI): Continuing the war against drugs Yudh Nashian Virudh waged by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to eradicate drug menace from state consecutively for the 163rd day, Punjab Police conducted raids at 335 locations on Monday leading to the arrest of 104 drug smugglers after registration of 74 first information reports (FIRs) across the state.

According to an official release, the total number of drug smugglers arrested has reached 25,524 in 163 days.

The raids have resulted in the recovery of 6.4 kg of heroin, 500 grams of opium, and 1092 intoxicant tablets/capsules from the possession of arrested drug smugglers.

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

Notably, CM Bhagwant Mann has asked the Commissioners of Police, Deputy Commissioners and Senior Superintendent of Police to make Punjab a drug-free state. The Punjab government has also constituted a five-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 120 Police teams, comprising over 1000 police personnel, under the supervision of 67 gazetted officers, have conducted raids across the state. Police teams have also checked as many as 366 suspicious persons during the day-long operation, he added.

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 28 persons to undergo de-addiction and rehabilitation treatment today.

Earlier, Punjab Finance Minister and Chairperson of the Cabinet Sub-Committee on the War Against Drugs, Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema, announced on Saturday that the arrest of Joga Singh, former security officer to MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira, is a major breakthrough in the pursuit of justice for victims of the 2015 Gurdev Singh Debi drug racket.

Cheema alleged that the case, which had been pending for nearly a decade, was delayed due to the accused alleged political connections with leaders of the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Congress. (ANI)

Disclaimer: This news article is a direct feed from ANI and has not been edited by the News Nation team. The news agency is solely responsible for its content.