Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema announced that the state government’s campaign against drugs has led to 1,485 arrests and 1,072 cases registered in just 11 days.
He added that authorities have demolished properties of 26 individuals who had made huge illegal profits through drug trafficking and smuggling.
The crackdown began on March 1, with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann giving a three-month deadline to make the state drug-free. To ensure strict monitoring, the government has set up a special sub-committee of Cabinet ministers.
Since the drive started, the police have seized 76 kg of heroin, 50 kg of opium, and Rs 50 lakh in cash from drug traffickers. Additionally, officers have confiscated 7 lakh intoxicating tablets and 950 kg of poppy husk.
Cheema criticised previous governments for protecting drug smugglers and said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government has taken strong action against them.
He highlighted the rise in conviction rates in drug-related cases, pointing out that under AAP, the conviction rate in NDPS cases has increased to 86%, compared to 58% during the Congress rule and just 40% under the SAD-BJP government. In some districts, the conviction rate has gone as high as 90%, he added.
He also accused former CM Amarinder Singh of making false promises to eliminate drugs and alleged that the previous Congress government shielded drug traffickers instead of taking action against them. Cheema further claimed that past governments deliberately allowed drug addiction to spread, harming the youth of Punjab.
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