The focused and continuous anti-drug drive of the Haryana Police in areas bordering Punjab has started showing results, officials said on Tuesday.
The state police carried out a coordinated, intelligence-based and network-disruption-focused crackdown on drug trafficking in Sirsa, Fatehabad and Dabwali from October 16 to November 30, they said.
A comparison of two periods — September 1 to October 15 and October 16 to November 30 — shows that the new policing strategy has shaken drug syndicate at the root level, the police department said in a statement.
As per official data, the 45-day special drive from October 16 to November 30 led to 153 NDPS Act cases in Sirsa, Fatehabad and Dabwali. This is higher than the 105 cases registered from September 1 to October 15.
The rise in cases in these districts shows that the police reached deeper into hidden network points. It does not indicate a rise in crime but the exposure of drug networks that were earlier concealed, the statement said.
A comparison of arrests shows that the new strategy hit drug traffickers hard. Seizures of heroin and opium also increased, showing the police are now targeting high-profit and high-risk drug routes, it said.
Together, Sirsa, Dabwali and Fatehabad recovered more than one kg of heroin, good amounts of poppy husk and cannabis, and nearly 9,400 tablets and capsules of controlled drugs. Data shows traffickers are being forced to move earlier and take more risks, officials said.
Officials added that the police action worked alongside state-level steps in 2025 to check diversion of pharmaceutical drugs. These included surprise inspections of chemist shops and stricter checks on psychotropic medicines.
Extensive checks during the drive led to the sealing of 23 medical stores in Sirsa, Dabwali and Fatehabad. Only three stores were sealed in the earlier period.
Officials said the campaign focused not just on users or small catches but also on “link peddlers” and key conduits in villages and small towns.
In total, 160 link peddlers were identified, and 86 were detained in this period, up from 68 earlier. This shows a shift towards breaking the local supply system rather than making isolated seizures, they said.
Haryana DGP O P Singh on Tuesday said, "We have deepened police action, targeting not just users but the entire drug supply network. This fight is about protecting security, health, and society. Bringing addicts onto treatment and rehabilitation paths is our priority. Our goal is to transform Haryana's passionate border districts into areas free from the scourge of drugs."
He added that seizures and property action under the NDPS Act have also increased to weaken the economic base of the drug trade.
Confiscation proceedings were started in 27 cases from October 16 to November 30, compared to 15 in the earlier period. Officials said this step is crucial to making drug trafficking a “loss-making business” for organised networks.
Police records show the crackdown was combined with efforts to push treatment and rehabilitation to reduce repeat overdose cases.
During this campaign, 1,138 drug-dependent persons in Sirsa, Dabwali and Fatehabad were identified and helped towards de-addiction care. This is up from 763 in the previous 45 days, meaning 375 more people moved from high-risk use to supervised treatment.
This dual approach comes after several suspected drug overdose deaths earlier this year in Sirsa and nearby areas. These incidents had led to public anger, especially as some deaths occurred in the same villages within short periods.
Village-level meetings, joint teams with health and social welfare officials, and youth-focused outreach efforts encouraged families to report addicts for treatment instead of hiding the problem out of fear or stigma, officials said.
State authorities said the progress in Sirsa, Dabwali and Fatehabad reflects Haryana’s wider 2025 anti-drug strategy, which combines strong enforcement with expanded treatment and awareness programmes.
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