4 illegal drug de-addiction centres sealed in Faridkot

In a joint operation, the police and Health Department sealed four illegal drug de-addiction centres in Faridkot district on Thursday.

The crackdown began following a tip-off about an unlicensed centre “Ek Jariya Foundation Welfare Society” running on the Sadiq road. A team of law enforcement and health officials raided the premises and found that the operators lacked authorisation to run a de-addiction centre. Nineteen individuals undergoing treatment were immediately shifted to the government-run facility at Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital, Faridkot.

Deputy Commissioner Poonamdeep Kaur said the action was part of a broader campaign to identify and shut down unauthorised de-addiction centres across the district.

Based on a specific information, the New Life Youth Foundation Welfare Society’s centre run at Golewala village, 40 patients, was also sealed.

Further, a centre operated by the Hope Youth Foundation Drug De-Addiction Welfare Society at Chak Kalyan, 21 patients, and an unnamed facility at Araiya Wala Road, Faridkot, were also sealed.

In total, 82 patients from four centres were safely relocated to government-approved de-addiction and rehabilitation facilities.

Officials emphasised that addiction was a medical condition and those suffering from substance use disorders deserve compassionate and qualified care, not exploitation under the guise of treatment.

The DC said, “The district has an Opioid Agonist Therapy Centre, two government de-addiction centres with a total of 60 beds, three private de-addiction centres with 25 beds each, a government rehabilitation centre with 50 beds and a private rehabilitation centre with 30 beds.”

She urged the public to seek help only from recognised centres and report any suspicious or unauthorised establishment to the police for prompt action.