Drug seizure up, availability down in Punjab: NCB

Aman Sood

Tribune News Service

Patiala, June 23

A secret field intelligence report of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has revealed that street availability of drugs in Punjab has come down considerably. The report states that though Punjab continues to be accountable for almost 50% of the total drug related cases registered in the country, but the drugs are not easily available in the market.

The Centre has already released funds for Manipur and Punjab to aware youth in their villages against consumption of drugs. Last week, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had asked the Punjab Government to make the fight against drugs a people’s movement. He said this while addressing a congregation to mark the 350th year of the foundation of Anandpur Sahib. 

Officials confirm that though ‘cross-border’ narcotics continue to be smuggled into India, but “the huge recoveries of heroin and opium do not find an easy route to the markets now”. 

“The recoveries have increased but good news is that our field intelligence report shows that drugs are not available in the open market and even the drugs earlier sold through chemists have gone down”, said NCB zonal director Kaustubh Sharma. 

As per the NCB report, of the total 30,000 odd cases of narcotics registered in India in 2014-15, around 14,800 are from Punjab alone and majority of the drugs smuggled are thrown across the fencing on Indo-Pak International Border on Indian side. “The suspected source of seized drug is South West Asia”, mentions the NCB report on the recovered contraband from Punjab borders.  “However, the high recovery of drugs in Punjab is an indication on how the agencies are now ensuring that these drugs do not reach the youth”, said Kaustubh, claiming that efforts are on to nab the kingpin.