Chandigarh, August 18, 2025: Punjab Police stepped up its fight against drugs with a massive statewide Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) at identified hotspots on Monday. The coordinated drive, part of the government’s ongoing Yudh Nashian Virudh campaign, marked the 170th consecutive day of action under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann.
Acting on the directions of Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav, the operation was conducted across all 28 police districts simultaneously. Police teams raided 272 hotspots during the daylong exercise, leading to the arrest of 196 individuals and the registration of 164 FIRs. The seizures included 2.4 kg heroin, 2 kg opium, 30 kg ganja, 13,451 intoxicant tablets and capsules, and ₹15,020 in drug money.
The Chief Minister has tasked senior officials, including Commissioners of Police, Deputy Commissioners, and Senior Superintendents of Police, to intensify enforcement measures and ensure Punjab becomes drug-free. To strengthen oversight, the state government has formed a five-member Cabinet Sub-Committee headed by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema.
Special DGP (Law and Order) Arpit Shukla, who supervised the operation, reported that since the launch of Yudh Nashian Virudh on March 1, 2025, police have arrested 26,085 drug smugglers after registering 16,705 FIRs. During this period, the police recovered 1,076 kg heroin, 372 kg opium, 217 quintals poppy husk, 415 kg ganja, 32.53 lakh intoxicant tablets and capsules, 6 kg ICE, and ₹12.38 crore in drug proceeds.
Shukla further noted the impact of the “Safe Punjab” Anti-Drug WhatsApp Chatbot (97791-00200), which has generated over 5,000 FIRs based on citizen inputs. He urged people to continue reporting drug-related activities through the helpline, assuring that their identities would remain confidential.
