Crackdown: Punjab Police claim to have arrested 260 big fish among 2,205 drug smugglers in a month

Chandigarh [India], August 1 : Punjab Police claimed to have arrested as many as 2,205 drug smugglers including 260 "big fish" since July 5 and have registered 1,730 FIRs of which 145 are related to commercial quantities, officials said on Monday.
According to the state's Information and Public Relations Department, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Headquarters Sukhchain Singh Gill at a press conference on Monday, said the police have recovered Rs 48.95 lakh from the possession of drug smugglers arrested last month.
The police have also arrested 99 proclaimed offenders and absconders wanted in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) cases in the past month, he added according to a press statement.
Divulging monthly updates on drugs recovery, the IGP said that police have recovered 30 kg heroin, 75 kg opium, 69 kg ganja, and 185 quintals of poppy husk besides recovering 12.56 lakhs tablets/capsules/injections/vials of pharma opioids from across the state after carrying out cordon and search operations in drug-affected areas beside laying nakas at vulnerable routes across the state.
He said that last week, the police arrested 453 drug smugglers after registering 329 FIRs and recovered 8.4 kg heroin, 10Kg opium, 2 Kg ganja, and 21 quintals of poppy husk besides recovering Rs 10.46 lakh drug money, the statement added.
Gill said that on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, the weekly performance of all the police districts is being reviewed and the three topmost districts will be selected on the basis of the recovery of drugs and drug money, cases registered, arrests of drug smugglers and POs/Absconders. The topmost three districts will then be rewarded by the Chief Minister, he said.
With Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav already given clear instructions to not tolerate any black sheep in the uniform, the IGP said action against six such Police Personnel including one DSP, has already been taken after they were found indulged in malpractices.
Meanwhile, the DGP has strictly ordered all the CPs/SSPs to further tighten the noose around the drug smugglers by identifying all top drug smugglers and the hotspots infamous for drug smuggling in their jurisdictions and launching a combing operation to nab all those selling/smuggling drugs.
He also directed the Police chiefs to effectively forfeit the property of all the arrested drug smugglers so that their ill-gotten money could be recovered.