War against drugs: Solan police achieve over 26% drop in smuggling cases

In a decisive effort to curb drug abuse, the Solan police have successfully reduced drug smuggling cases by 26% over the past year. Aiming to establish a drug-free society, the police launched a comprehensive campaign targeting both supply and demand.

Since July 2023, the district police have operated in mission mode, registering 157 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and arresting a record 345 drug smugglers. Special focus was given to investigating backward and forward linkages in drug networks, leading to the arrest of over 120 accused from other states in the past 18 months. This is a stark contrast to the mere single arrest made between 2018 and June 2023 in such cases.

“Out of these 120 accused, 114 were major heroin suppliers arrested from Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, Assam and Maharashtra. Among them, nine Nigerians were apprehended in Delhi,” said Solan SP Gaurav Singh. Additionally, the police dismantled 50 major interstate heroin smuggling networks, significantly reducing the availability of the drug.

To curb the circulation of other narcotics, Solan Police also arrested 48 accused in 20 cases, seizing 18,116 sedative capsules and tablets.

In a first for Solan, authorities initiated the seizure and freezing of drug smugglers’ properties in 2024. Property worth more than Rs 3.53 crore belonging to seven accused in three major cases was confiscated. In 2025, property worth Rs 1.53 crore linked to eight accused in two cases was also seized. In total, assets worth over Rs 5 crore from 15 drug smugglers and their associates have been confiscated.

Among these cases, one involved the seizure of 37 kg of high-quality cannabis, while four were linked to heroin smuggling networks operating in Punjab and Haryana. The properties of key accused—Gurpreet Singh from Sirsa, Kapil Garg from Chandigarh and Pintu from Bilaspur—have been confiscated. Another accused, Vijay Soni, along with his associates, also had their luxury hotels, plots, high-end cars, cash deposits, and fixed assets seized. Most of these properties were located in other states. Efforts to seize additional properties linked to drug cases are ongoing.

The Solan police has also prioritised protecting students and youth from drug addiction. “Special efforts have been made to keep students and young individuals away from drugs, and these have yielded meaningful results. While supply has been curtailed, demand has also been reduced through awareness campaigns,” said the SP.

Under the Rustam scheme, students and youth are educated about the dangers of drug abuse while being encouraged to engage in positive activities like sports. The Solan police remains committed to making the district drug-free through relentless action and awareness initiatives.