The North News
Chandigarh, March 1
Punjab Police on Saturday launched a major state-wide Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) targeting drug hotspots across the state, resulting in the arrest of 290 drug smugglers and the registration of 232 first information reports (FIRs). Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab, Gaurav Yadav, announced the operation’s success, which included the recovery of significant quantities of illegal substances and cash.
During the four-hour operation, police seized 8.14 kg of heroin, 1.21 kg of opium, 3.5 kg of ganja, 19 kg of poppy husk, 700 grams of charas, 16,238 intoxicant tablets/pills/injections, and ₹8.02 lakh in drug money. The CASO was conducted from 9 am to 1 pm in all 28 police districts, with senior officers from Punjab Police Headquarters in Chandigarh overseeing the operation.
The crackdown came a day after Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann directed police officials to make the state drug-free within three months. The Punjab government has established a five-member Cabinet Sub-Committee, led by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, to monitor the anti-drug initiative.
DGP Gaurav Yadav, who monitored the operation personally, highlighted the state’s 360-degree action plan to eliminate drug abuse while focusing on rehabilitation efforts for drug users. Police have been instructed to investigate all cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act thoroughly and take action against those aiding drug smugglers.
Special DGP Law and Order Arpit Shukla, who joined Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Deepak Pareek at Balongi in SAS Nagar, emphasized the need for precise planning in each district. Shukla added that operations would continue until Punjab is completely free of drug-related crime.
The CASO involved over 900 police teams, including 8,368 personnel and 233 gazetted officers. These teams cordoned off 369 drug hotspots and conducted 798 raids. Over 2,000 suspicious individuals were checked, and preventive action was taken against 27 people. Additionally, five proclaimed offenders were apprehended.
Other senior officers involved included Special DGP PSPCL Dr. Jitendra Jain, ADGP Traffic AS Rai, ADGP Law and Order SPS Parmar, ADGP State Armed Forces MF Farooqui, ADGP Internal Security Shive Kumar Verma, and IGPs Pradeep Kumar Yadav, Babu Lal Meena, Baljot Singh Rathore, and Gurdial Singh.
The Punjab government’s anti-drug strategy combines Enforcement, De-addiction, and Prevention (EDP) to eradicate drugs from the state.
