Punjab CM seeks amendment to law to differentiate addict from peddler

Drug trafficking and national security meet

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 17

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann participated in a virtual meeting on “Drug trafficking and national security”, chaired by Home Minister Amit Shah,

on Monday.

During the meeting, he demanded an amendment to the law to differentiate between addicts and smugglers/peddlers; reduction of commercial quantity of heroin from 250 gm to 25 gm and empowering head constables to register cases involving small quantities of drugs.

Suggestions BY MANN to check menace

• Anti-drone jammers be installed along the International Border between India and Pakistan
• Regional drone forensic lab be set up at Amritsar to trace origin, destination and route maps of drones
• Provide access to custom database so that suspected containers coming from other countries can be checked

The CM demanded a reduction in commercial quantity (meaning drugs for sale than own consumption) of heroin from the existing 250 gm to 25 gm to check peddling at the intermediate level. He added that head constables should be empowered to exercise power and perform duties specified in respect of cases falling within the definition of ‘small quantity’ and Section 27 of the NDPS Act.

He said the Union Government must liberally allocate funds to states and union territories for capacity building of the forensic science laboratories (FSLs).