485 drug peddlers held, 387 cases filed under NDPS Act since March 16: Punjab

THE STATE government claimed Tuesday that as many as 485 drug-peddlers had been arrested and 387 cases registered under the NDPS Act as part of its crackdown against drugs.

A statement issued by the CMO said, “Sho-level teams, backed by CIA and Anti-narcotics Cell units, have been formed in every district to implement the government’s campaign to wipe out drugs from the state in four weeks.” The Chief Minister has directed the state agencies to coordinate with central agencies such as the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and the Customs Department to check the supply and smuggling of drugs into the state from other parts of India and abroad, said the statement. It said that during the period between March 16 (the day the new state government was sworn in) and March 27, a total of

The Chief Minister has directed the state agencies to coordinate with central agencies

3.945 kgs of heroin was recovered in raids by special teams formed as part of the campaign. This includes 1 kg of heroin seized by the BSF.

Other drugs seizures made during this period include poppy husk (622.555 kgs), smack (0.528 kgs), Charas(2.22kgs),opium(24.39kgs),bhang(1.879kgs) andganja(65.6kgs).thespecialteamshavealsorecovered 133 bottles of syrup, 1,075 injections and 90,993 capsules/pills packed with drugs, besides 11.224 kg of intoxicantpowderduringthesaidperiod,thestatement said. The maximum of 63 cases were registered in Jalandhar Rural district, from where the maximum recovery of 7.25 kgs of opium, besides 1 kg of heroin by BSF at the border, have been reported.