The Punjab Police has achieved "major success" in its ongoing crackdown on narcotics, significantly reducing drug availability across the state, said Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on Saturday.
While acknowledging that the drug menace hasn’t been completely eradicated, he assured the anti-drug campaign would continue “relentlessly.”
DGP Yadav’s remarks come in the wake of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s February 28 directive to make Punjab drug-free within three months.
Speaking to mediapersons, Yadav revealed that since the launch of the intensified anti-drug drive, the police have arrested 13,038 individuals and registered 8,344 FIRs under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Among those arrested, 1,696 were identified as “big fish” in the drug trade.
The police have seized substantial quantities of narcotics, including 586 kg of heroin, 14,000 kg of poppy husk, 247 kg of opium, 253 kg of ganja, 1.6 kg of ICE, and over 25 lakh tablets and capsules.
Of the 1,205 drugs cases in which trial has been completed, conviction was secured in 1,085, which is 90 per cent, the officer added. Additionally, 48 hawala operators have been arrested, and ₹10.76 crore in illicit funds has been recovered.
Asked if Punjab can now be considered drug-free, Yadav stated, "In our assessment, we have got a very big success and I feel that it is an example not only in entire India, but in the world also in which a determined and multi-pronged effort has been undertaken to eliminate drugs from the state."
"We have got a major success in it. We have got maximum control over it as per the feedback from independent channels and intelligence. Our effort is to reach out to people to take them along and also to take our three-pronged strategy -- enforcement de-addiction and prevention -- forward so as to bring drug users into the mainstream," he said.
"Our focus is very clear. We want to eliminate drugs and we have had major success in this. This drive will continue relentlessly," he added.
Asked whether Punjab is now a drug-free state, Yadav said, "I can say that drug availability in the state has reduced majorly. There are pockets where drugs are available, but (earlier) there was a talk of easy availability (of drugs), there is no such thing now." "I cannot say it (drugs) is totally eliminated because it is a cyclical thing, but otherwise major work has been done in this regard," he said.
Last month, Yadav said senior police officers in districts had been directed to cut the drug supply lines by May 31 to make narcotics unavailable in the state.
Senior superintendents of police and commissioners will be rewarded for their good work and those whose performance is not up to the mark, their accountability will be fixed, he said.
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