Drug trade running in large number of dealers' family: DGP

Speaking to The Tribune correspondent Chief Sanjeev Singh Bariana on International Day against Drug Abuse and Illegal Trafficking, Director General of Police (DGP) Dinkar Gupta concedes that fight against drugs in the state is an uphill task in the wake of border fencing losing its significance to new methods of drug delivery, inept laws in getting remand of foreign-based dealers, gangsters joining the trade, easy bails and operations being controlled from jails.

Q: The killing of drug dealer Brij Lal and involvement of his family members in the trade shows how the menace was woven into the fabric of their daily life. What is your opinion?

Ans: Drug trade has been running in the family of a significant number of dealers. Take the example of Brij Lal. All his family members were involved in smuggling of liquor, heroin and intoxicants for the past several decades. His family has been involved in 49 cases under the NDPS Act, Excise Act and for causing violence. His wife, lodged in Amritsar jail in an NDPS case, died there this year. Two of his sons have been admitted to a de-addiction centre in Tarn Taran a few days ago.

Q: The name of former DSP Jagdish Bhola indicated involvement of an international syndicate in drug smuggling. But why there have been no arrests of big mafia leaders?

Ans: We arrested Ranjeet Singh, alias Cheeta, in May who was one of the key links in the drug smuggling network. The police in February seized a truck smuggling heroin from Gujarat to Amritsar on the order of kingpin Simranjit Singh Sandhu, who was arrested in Italy by Interpol. A major narco-terrorism module was busted in January involving 75-kg heroin from Pakistan. The kingpin was Rahul Chauhan, an Army Naik posted in Bareilly. The police made a record seizure of 504-kg heroin this year alone. In January, the police arrested Afghan national Abdul Basar and recovered 188 kg heroin.

Q: What are the police doing to check drug menace during the pandemic?

Ans: Reduced availability of drugs in villages and towns had led to approximately 1.3 lakh drug users joining de-addiction programme of the state government. As per the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment survey, the state has 12 lakh drug addicts. Only 5.41 lakh among them are enrolled for regular treatment. The remaining 6.59 lakh users and 30 per cent of those who have dropped out of de-addiction centres continue to be potential buyers.

Q: The police conducted local-level raids in various parts of the state some time ago. House-to-house searches were made. What were the findings and why were they stopped?

Ans: Cordon and Search Operations were carried out based on inputs on illegal activity from the public and the police. The drive witnessed a decent response. It will be started once things get better.

Q: Illicit liquor has been an age-old reality in the state since times immemorial. However, now we have cases of liquor being sold under branded labels of Johnny Walker and Glenlivet like in a Ludhiana village. What is your take?

Ans: Liquor is a part of lifestyle of people in the state and buying an expensive one is just a way of showing the boisterous side of their personality. People are willing to spend money in the name of show off. The liquor being poured in the bottles is illicit.

Q: The names of certain Congress leaders have cropped up in connection with illegal liquor business during the recent times. Why no arrests?

Ans: Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has given us a free hand in controlling illegal liquor menace. In case anything concrete comes against suspects, they will not be spared.