Punjab Police intensify vehicle checking at inter-state borders to catch drug, liquor smugglers 

The Punjab Police on Friday carried out a special operation at 10 inter-state border districts aimed at checking all the vehicles entering or exiting the state to keep a tab on drug traffickers and illegal liquor smugglers.

During the operation, conducted simultaneously in 10 districts from 6 am to 2 pm, all the SSPs of border districts were directed to organise joint ‘naka’ (check) operations at strategic places and mobilise a maximum number of manpower.

Sharing details, Special DGP (law and order) Arpit Shukla said that well-coordinated strong ‘nakas’ involving over 900 police personnel were set up under the supervision of Inspectors/DSPs at least 93 entry and exit points of 10 districts, which share boundaries with four border states and UT Chandigarh.

The 10 inter-state border districts were Pathankot, Sri Muktsar Sahib, Fazilka, Rupanagar, SAS Nagar, Patiala, Sangrur, Mansa, Hoshiarpur and Bathinda.

According to an official statement, Shukla said that as many as 3,180 vehicles entering or exiting the state were checked, of which 367 were challaned and seven were impounded during the operation.

Apart from this, police teams have continued its cordon and search operation (CASO) against drugs on day 111 of the ongoing anti-drugs “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, and conducted raids at 505 locations on Friday.

During the raids, 127 drug smugglers were arrested after registration of 98 FIRs across the state.

With this, the number of total drug smugglers arrested has reached 18,372 within 111 days, the statement said.

Shukla that the Friday’s raids have resulted in recovery of 4.2 kg heroin, 3 kg opium, 118 kg poppy husk and Rs 11,170 drug money from the possession of arrested smugglers.

He informed that over 200 police teams, comprising over 1,500 police personnel, under the supervision of 101 gazetted officers have conducted raids across the state and checked as many as 543 suspicious persons during the day long operation.

He said that Punjab Police has devised a comprehensive strategy and such operations will be continued till the scourge of drugs eradicated from the state.