Over 5,500 arrested during Punjab anti-drugs drive

Chandigarh, Apr 10 (PTI) The Punjab Police arrested 5,537 persons in 41 days during the government's ongoing drive against drugs, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said on Thursday.

He further said 3,279 cases had been registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

Cheema said the police seized 212 kilogrammes of heroin, 6,945 kilogrammes of poppy husk, 105 kilogrammes of opium, 50 kilogrammes of ganja, six kilogrammes of charas (hashish) and nearly nine lakh banned tablets and capsules as part of the Yudh Nashian Virudh campaign.

Additionally, Rs 6 crore in cash was seized and illegal properties of 57 drug smugglers were demolished.

Cheema also said the arrest of Manjit of Haryana's Rohtak -- a Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officer -- by the Amritsar Police on Wednesday raised serious concerns about the involvement of enforcement officers from other states in the drugs trade in Punjab.

Cheema said an in-depth investigation would be conducted to identify the head of the gang and strict legal action would follow, regardless of their position.

The DRI officer was among eight persons arrested on Wednesday as the Punjab Police claimed to have busted a drugs cartel.

The police had seized 4.04 kilogrammes of heroin from them.

Meanwhile, Cheema said the campaign succeeded in mobilising youngsters across villages and cities.

Panch, sarpanch and councillors are actively participating in the campaign, he said.

This is the first time that an allocation was made in the Punjab budget for the anti-drone systems and a drug census to strengthen action, he said.

Apart from this, a budget of about Rs 980 crore has been allocated to promote sports and steer youngsters away from drugs, said Cheema. PTI CHS CHS SZM SZM

Source: PTI