Drug peddlers hide in deserted places to evade crackdown

As the police intensify their crackdown against antisocial elements in areas identified as hotspots for illicit drug trade, drug peddlers and their sympathisers appear to be “hibernating” during the ongoing Youth Nashian Virudh campaign, under the supervision of Malerkotla SSP Gagan Ajit Singh.

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Unlike previous instances where drug peddlers confronted police during raids, many are now evading action by leaving the region and locking their premises. When police found the homes of suspects locked, they shifted their focus to deserted properties on the outskirts of localities, often inhabited by labourers and immigrants, which could serve as hideouts.

Deserted buildings near railway tracks, highways, bridges, canals, drains and rain shelters have been identified as potential safe havens for petty drug peddlers and couriers. SSP Gagan Ajit Singh acknowledged this new trend and expressed concern over the exploitation of vacant government or privately owned properties. He confirmed that officers had been instructed to enhance patrolling around these abandoned buildings.