500 days of war against drugs resulted in record arrests, says Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav
The Punjab Police have completed 500 days of its flagship anti-drug campaign “Yudh Nashian Virudh” (war against drugs).
The campaign, launched on March 1, 2025, has combined strict enforcement, community participation and preventive education to strike at the roots of the narcotics trade.
Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said the campaign had resulted in record arrests, major drug seizures and the dismantling of organised trafficking networks. Over this period, the police have registered 52,432 FIRs under the NDPS Act and arrested more than 68,850 traffickers.
Among them were 629 major traffickers, each found with more than 2 kg of heroin, collectively worth around Rs 12 crore.The police have also targeted the financial backbone of drug cartels. Properties worth Rs 319 crore acquired through drug money have been attached or confiscated, while illegal structures raised on government land using proceeds from the drug trade have been demolished.
ADGP Nilabh Kishore, Chief of the Anti-Narcotics Task Force, said these actions send a strong message of zero tolerance against traffickers.
The campaign has also offered rehabilitation opportunities. The state government extended immunity under Section 64A of the NDPS Act to 10,917 individuals, allowing them to seek treatment and rebuild their lives.
