Commissionerate Police forfeit Rs 85-cr properties

In a record of sorts, the Ludhiana Commissionerate Police have forfeited properties worth a whopping Rs 85 crore that were owned by 62 drug lords. Besides, the process to freeze assets worth another Rs 3 crore, belonging to four more smugglers, is on. This is the highest property forfeiture by any commissionerate or district police in the state, Commissioner of Police (CP) Kuldeep Singh Chahal claimed.

Intensifying its sustained campaign against drugs, the Commissionerate Police have achieved major breakthroughs during the past year. Acting tough, the police have arrested 641 drug smugglers with over 20 quintals of contraband in 468 cases, registered under the relevant provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Besides, over 1.61 lakh intoxicant pills, capsules, injections, and syrups were also recovered.

The development assumes significance as Ludhiana, which was earlier famous for all good reasons and popularly known as the Manchester of India, had recently attained the dubious distinction of being the hotspot for illegal drug trade.

The recent disclosure by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) had further put the state’s biggest and largest district, in terms of area and population, under focus for being the hub of an international drug syndicate linked to Punjab, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.

The NCB’s drug bust holds credence as the cases registered under various provisions of the NDPS Act, accused arrested, and the recoveries of contraband and intoxicant substances have also increased manifold in the state’s industrial and business capital.

Sharing details, the CP told The Tribune, here on Wednesday, that the Commissionerate Police had been waging a war on drugs and all-out efforts were being made to catch smugglers and peddlers involved in the illegal trade to recover contraband and in turn prevent narcotics-related offences. He said a sustained campaign had also been launched against gangsters, history sheeters, notorious elements, liquor smugglers, and proclaimed offenders, who were evading law.

Chahal disclosed that, tightening the noose around smugglers, the Commissionerate Police had forfeited illegally acquired properties worth Rs 85.06 crore of 62 drug lords under the provisions of Chapter 5-A of the NDPS Act.

“While the forfeited properties worth Rs 85.06 crore, acquired by 62 drug lords, have already been attached, we are awaiting approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs for four cases worth Rs 3 crore and are in the process of attachment,” he revealed.

The Ludhiana top cop divulged that an anti-drugs drive had led to the arrests of 641 smugglers in 468 cases registered under various sections of the NDPS Act, from whom over 20 quintals of contraband and over 1.61 lakh intoxicant pills, capsules, injections, and syrups were seized.

While the maximum seizure was of 17.12 quintals of poppy husk, 66 grams of ICE, popularly known as a costly party drug, and 25.5 kg of heroin were also among the major recoveries.

Among other varieties of drugs confiscated were 1.96 quintals of ganja, 36.165 kg of opium, 1.110 kg of intoxicant powder, 893 grams of charas, 8 grams of smack, 15.12 kg of poppy husk plants, and over 1.61 lakh pills, capsules, injections, and syrups that were misused for intoxication.

Properties forfeited

Tightening the noose around drug smugglers, the Commissionerate Police have forfeited properties worth Rs 85.07 crore belonging to 62 drug lords.

Heavy contraband disposed

The Commissionerate Police had destroyed a huge cache of contraband recovered from smugglers and peddlers under NDPS Act cases during the recent past.

Poppy husk favourite drug

The analysis of recovery and disposal of drugs showed that poppy husk remained the most favourite contraband in Ludhiana. The seizure of 17.12 quintals of poppy husk was the maximum among all types of recovered contraband during the past seven months.

Anti-drug initiatives

Besides an offensive, the Commissionerate Police have also launched several other initiatives to create awareness and motivate people, especially youths, to shun drugs. These included seminars and workshops for students, teachers, and other sections of society.