35 nabbed during cordon & search op at drug hotspots

Under the ‘War Against Drugs’ campaign launched by the state government, a large-scale cordon and search operation (CASO) was conducted across the entire Ludhiana Commissionerate area on Saturday. The initiative aimed to clamp down on drug sales, dismantle the supply chain and arrest criminals involved in drug trafficking.

The operation was executed with meticulous planning and professionalism, focusing on 16 professionally identified drug hotspots within the commissionerate. Around 500 police personnel were deployed to carry out the same. It was led by Special DGP (GRP, Punjab) Shashi Prabha Dwivedi, along with Commissioner of Police (CP), Ludhiana, Swapan Sharma, who visited three locations to review the effectiveness of the drive.

Commissioner of Police Swapan Sharma said the operation involved two DCPs, eight ADCPs, 16 ACPs, and all SHOs of the commissionerate. It was carried out from 11 am to 2 pm. During the operation, the police successfully apprehended 35 suspects and recovered a significant quantity of contraband.

The CP further stated that such operations were part of a continuous and determined campaign against drugs, following instructions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav. He reiterated that these efforts would continue with full vigour till the menace of drugs was eradicated from the state. Meanwhile, DIG, AGTF, Gurmeet Singh Chauhan, along with SSP, Khanna, Darpan Ahluwalia, also led CASO in the Khanna police district.

Chauhan said the Khanna police recovered 8 kg of heroin and 2 kg of ice drug in 2025. This year, the police recovered 4 kg of heroin. The campaign against drugs would continue to break the backbone of smugglers. Ahluwalia said the police detained many drug traffickers during CASO and recoveries of drugs were also made. The Khanna police would continue to take on the smugglers and the police also sought support of people in eradicating the menace of drugs from society.