Ludhiana: 64 smugglers held with drugs in week

Nitin Jain
Tribune News Service
Ludhiana, June 25

In what appears to be a record of sorts, the Ludhiana Commissionerate Police have arrested 64 smugglers and habitual offenders with a huge cache of drugs and cash (drug money), besides forfeiting properties in the national capital worth Rs 61 lakh and identifying 15 more worth crores of rupees within a week.

This was made possible after the cops cracked the whip against the illegal trade and raided 400 suspected hideouts of the dealers and suppliers of drugs in the last seven days.

Besides the enforcement, the police also launched a special awareness drive through multiple platforms to sensitise public, especially the youth, on the ill-effects of banned substances on the human health and how the menace brings bad name and trauma to those involved in it.

Sharing outreach of the Commissionerate Police against drugs on the eve of the International Day against Drugs Abuse and Illegal Trafficking here on Friday, Commissioner of Police (CP) Rakesh Agrawal told The Tribune that a major drive was initiated against drugs during the ongoing anti-drug week under which awareness was spread through multiple platforms and strict action was taken against drug peddlers.

Divulging details, the city police chief said at least 400 raids — 100 on drug hotspots and 300 on the hideouts — of proclaimed offenders, bail and parole jumpers in the drug cases were conducted in the last seven days.

The action resulted in the arrest of 38 notorious drug smugglers in 27 FIRs and sending to jail 26 habitual offenders after filing 26 ‘kalandaras’ against them besides forfeiting the properties worth Rs 61 lakh of two drug dealers and initiating forfeiting 15 more properties.

“In light of the Punjab Government’s mission on eradicating drugs from society, Ludhiana Police Commissionerate undertook a major drive against drugs during the ongoing anti-drug week being organised from June 19 to 26,” disclosed Agrawal.

He said a multipronged approach was implemented to take action against drugs, which included awareness programmes, seminars, webinars, cycle rallies and street plays against drugs and raids on drug dealers, POs, parole and bail jumpers, registration of FIRs against the drug peddlers, attachment and forfeiture of their properties.

Under the special campaign, 104 seminars, seven cycle rallies and three walkathons were organised in collaboration with different NGOs to spread awareness in public against the ill-effects of drugs. Besides, poster-making competitions were organised to specially involve school students.

Announcements were made through the public address system in police vehicles in drug-prone areas regarding penalties and ill-effects of drugs. Special testimonials of drug users, who have been rehabilitated, were shared with public to motivate other drug addicts to give up this habit and live happily in the mainstream.

“Rural police officers have been directed to work in close coordination with drug abuse prevention officers of their respective areas, who have played an instrumental role in spreading awareness against drugs among the masses,” he informed.

The CP disclosed that 78 cordon and search operations were conducted in the drug hotspots in the last seven days. The recovery included 755 gm of opium, 2.5-kg poppy husk, 10.2-kg ganja, 125-gm heroin, and 330 intoxicant tablets.

“Surveillance on the activities of bailed-out accused of the NDPS Act was done minutely. Subsequently, 26 kalandras against habitual drug accused were filed and they were sent to jail. Properties worth Rs 61 lakh located in New Delhi of two drug peddlers were forfeited from the competent authority,” Agrawal revealed, while adding that properties of 15 more drug peddlers have been identified and the process has been initiated to forfeit them.

Furthermore, case properties of 117 NDPS cases will be destroyed as per procedure at Khanna Paper Mill in Amritsar as part of the state-level drug disposal scheme on Saturday.

‘Will free Ludhiana of drugs’

I appeal to the public to support the administration in the war against drugs. I give my commitment to the people of Ludhiana that no stone will be left unturned in curbing the menace of drugs and will take every possible step to free Ludhiana of drugs. The drug peddlers should either stop their activities or get ready to face the music. Nobody found wanting will be spared at any cost. — Rakesh Agrawal, Commissioner of Police

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