Punjab Police conducts raids at over 2,000 locations in statewide crackdown on drug smuggling

As many as 650 police teams, involving over 5,500 police personnel, carried out raids at 2,247 locations and conducted searches at 2,125 houses as Punjab Police Wednesday launched a statewide crackdown on those allegedly involved in the smuggling of commercial quantities of drugs, officials said.

The operation was conducted on the directions of Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav between 7 am and 12 noon today, an official statement said.

Special DGP (Law and Order) Arpit Shukla said places and houses linked with alleged drug smugglers and peddlers were raided simultaneously during the operation.

In order to carry out raids in a synchronised manner, senior police officials were asked to personally monitor the operation, and form sufficient numbers of police teams under the supervision of gazetted rank officers, he added.

Shukla said police teams recovered 1.8 kg heroin, 82 kg poppy husk, 1 kg opium, Rs 5.35 lakh cash and four weapons, besides recovering illicit liquor, lahan (raw material used to make liquor) and some vehicles. Forty-eight First Information Reports (FIRs) were registered across the state.

Police also seized 78 mobile phones, which will be sent for forensic examination.

The houses of people with alleged links to drug smuggling were thoroughly searched during the operation, Shuka said, adding that police have enquired about the present occupation of such people.

Police teams also checked bank details and foreign transactions by suspected smugglers and their family members, he added.

The Special DGP said the intent of carrying out the operation was to keep a check on the influx of drugs across the inter-state borders, besides, keeping a tab on suspected drug smugglers. Such raids would continue in the future, he added.