— PUNJAB POLICE COMMITTED TO MAKING PUNJAB A DRUG-FREE STATE AS PER DIRECTIONS OF CM BHAGWANT SINGH MANN

— POLICE TEAMS ALSO CONDUCT SEARCHES AT JAILS IN SIX DISTRICTS

— OVER 200 POLICE TEAMS LED BY 92 SP/DSP RANK OFFICERS CHECKED 490 SUSPICIOUS PERSONS: SPL DGP ARPIT SHUKLA

CHANDIGARH, April 18:

     With the war against drugs “Yudh Nashian Virudh” waged on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to eradicate drug menace from state entered 49th day, Punjab Police on Friday arrested 124 drug smugglers and recovered 2.5 kg heroin, and ₹2.02 lakh drug money from their possession. With this, the number of total drug smugglers arrested has reached to 6573 in just 49 days.

     The operation was conducted on the directions of Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav across the state. Police teams have also conducted special cordon and search operations (CASO) at identified drug hotspots in all the 28 districts from 3 pm to 6 pm simultaneously.

     Notably, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann has asked the Commissioners of Police, Deputy Commissioners and Senior Superintendent of Police to make Punjab drug free state. The Punjab government has also constituted a 5-member Cabinet Sub Committee led by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema to monitor the war against drugs.

     Divulging details, Special DGP Law and Order Arpit Shukla informed that over 200 Police teams, comprising over 1400 police personnel, under the supervision of 92 gazetted officers have conducted raids at as many as 464 locations across the state leading to the registration of 77 first information reports (FIRs) across the state. Police teams have also checked as many as 490 suspicious persons during the day long operation, he added.

     The Special DGP said that with the state government has enforced a three-pronged strategy— Enforcement, Deaddiction and Prevention (EDP)— to eradicate drugs from the state, the Punjab Police as part of ‘De-addiction’ has convinced three persons to undergo de-addiction and rehabilitation treatment.

     Meanwhile, Punjab Police has also carried out search operation at different jails in six districts— Commissionerate Amritsar, Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Batala, Amritsar Rural and Tarn Taran— to check any illegal activities in the jail. “Our Police teams have thoroughly searched every nook and corner including barracks, kitchen and toilets in the jail complex,” said Special DGP Arpit Shukla.