Punjab Police intensify crackdown on drug smugglers and gangsters

The Punjab Police have launched intensive statewide operations targeting both drug trafficking networks and organized crime. Under the ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ anti-drug campaign, coordinated efforts by the Punjab Police and the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) resulted in the arrest of 81 alleged smugglers. Seized substances included 1.3 kg of heroin, 530 grams of opium, and 7,359 intoxicant pills.

In the Malerkotla district, police registered 42 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, arresting 61 individuals between September 3 and 11. These operations involved Cordon and Search Operations (CASO) to dismantle local supply chains.

Simultaneously, the ‘Gangstran Te Vaar’ campaign, conducted in coordination with the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF), carried out 607 raids. This crackdown led to the arrest of 307 individuals, including 15 proclaimed offenders, and the recovery of seven weapons. Authorities reported that the total number of arrests made since the launch of the gangster crackdown has reached 69,442.