In a continued push against the drug menace under the ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ campaign launched on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the Punjab Police on Sunday arrested 143 drug smugglers and seized 3.5 kg heroin, 1.5 kg opium, and ₹54,750 in drug money.

With this, the total number of drug smugglers arrested in just 127 days has reached 20,784.

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The operation was carried out on the instructions of Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav, simultaneously across all 28 police districts in the state.

Notably, Chief Minister Mann has directed Commissioners of Police, Deputy Commissioners, and Senior Superintendents of Police to make Punjab a drug-free state. The Punjab government has also constituted a five-member Cabinet Sub-Committee, led by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, to monitor the progress of the anti-drug campaign.

Sharing further details, Special DGP (Law and Order) Arpit Shukla said over 180 police teams comprising more than 1,200 personnel and supervised by 79 gazetted officers conducted raids at 411 locations across the state. These efforts led to the registration of 105 first information reports (FIRs). Police teams also questioned 442 suspicious individuals during the day-long operation, he added.

The Special DGP further stated that the state government is implementing a three-pronged strategy—Enforcement, De-addiction, and Prevention (EDP)—to eradicate drugs. As part of the ‘De-addiction’ initiative, police persuaded 57 individuals to voluntarily undergo de-addiction and rehabilitation treatment on Sunday.