Tackling drugs with multi-pronged strategy: DGP

Akash Ghai

Tribune News Service

Mohali, January 15

Mohammad Mustafa, DGP, Special Task Force (STF), Punjab, said today that the state government had adopted the enforcement-dedication-prevention strategy as part of its comprehensive action against drug abuse.

While giving details of the Special Task Force’s achievements in checking the menace in the past few years at the STF Headquarters in Mohali, the DGP said, “We have arrested 25,579 persons in connection with drug peddling in the past 20 months and recovered 573.86 kg heroin from their possession.”

“Apart from that, we have recovered ice (synthetic drug), cocaine and charas from the peddlers,” he said.

The recovery of banned tablets and capsules is said to be whopping 1.08 crore by the police and a total of 21,430 cases had been registered under the NDPS Act in 20 months span since April 1, 2017, across the state.

He said the entire programme in connection with fight against drugs was being monitored by Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh through different committees being headed by senior government officials.

Giving details of certain initiatives by the STF, the DGP said the rationalisation and restructuring of the force had already taken place. “We have anti-narcotics cells in all 27 commissionerates/districts and monthly monitoring of the enforcement is being ensured through a comprehensive proforma,” he said.

On de-addiction front, he claimed that more than 63,000 drug addicts were being treated in Outpatient Opioid Assisted Treatment (OOAT) clinics.

“Approximately 3 lakh addicts have been treated in both government and private de-addiction/rehabilitation centres during the last year in the state,” he said.