Punjab Police arrests 130 drug smugglers after raiding over 500 location

Chandigarh: Punjab Police on Saturday conducted raids at 516 locations and arrested 130 drug smugglers as part of an ongoing anti-drugs drive across the state.

With more arrests, the number of total drug smugglers arrested during the drive has reached 1,050 in just eight days, the police said.

They have also recovered 3.04 kg heroin, 9.3 kg opium, 6,673 intoxicant tablets or injections and Rs 5.39 lakh cash from the possession of arrested smugglers.

The operation was conducted on the directions of Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav simultaneously in all districts of the state.

Special DGP Arpit Shukla said over 250 police teams, comprising over 1,700 police personnel conducted raids across the state and checked as many as 602 suspicious persons during the day-long operation.

He said such operations will be continued till the scourge of drugs is eradicated from Punjab.

Meanwhile, the police also conducted checking at as many as 672 pharmaceutical shops in six districts -- Bathinda, Mansa, Barnala, Patiala Sangrur and SAS Nagar -- to ensure that they are not selling intoxicant tablets or any other habit-forming drugs, and are adhering to the prescribed norms and regulations regarding the sale of medicines.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had earlier set a deadline of three months to make the state drug-free. As part of the state government's renewed push against the drug problem, action was being taken against drug peddlers and in some places, their properties were also demolished.

The Punjab government also formed a cabinet sub-committee to monitor action against the drug menace.