Chandigarh, November 16, 2025: Punjab’s crackdown on narcotics continued for the 260th straight day on Sunday, with police teams conducting coordinated raids at 298 locations across the state. The latest operation led to the arrest of 72 drug smugglers and the registration of 46 FIRs, taking the total number of arrests under the ongoing campaign to 36,855.
Police officials reported the recovery of 3.1 kg of heroin, 1.5 kg of opium, 215 intoxicant tablets, and ₹1.5 lakh in suspected drug money during the day-long operation.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, who launched the state’s intensive anti-drug mission “Yudh Nashian Virudh,” has repeatedly directed Commissioners of Police, Deputy Commissioners, and Senior Superintendents of Police to make Punjab a drug-free state. To strengthen oversight, the government has also formed a five-member Cabinet Sub-Committee headed by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema to monitor the progress of the campaign.
More than 120 police teams, involving over 1,000 personnel and supervised by 59 gazetted officers, carried out the sweeping raids. As part of the operation, police also checked 315 suspicious individuals across districts.
The state continues to implement its three-pronged EDP strategy Enforcement, De-addiction and Prevention. Under the de-addiction component, police persuaded 35 individuals struggling with substance dependence to seek rehabilitation and treatment on Sunday.
