Chandigarh, March 29, 2025 – Punjab’s ongoing crackdown on drug trafficking has led to significant arrests and seizures under the ‘War Against Drugs’ campaign, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Cabinet Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar announced on Saturday.
Addressing a press conference at the Chandigarh Party Office, Bhullar revealed that from March 1 to March 28, Punjab Police confiscated 153 kg of heroin, over 87 kg of opium, and more than ₹5.83 crore in cash. A total of 2,483 FIRs were registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, leading to the arrest of 4,280 drug traffickers.
Authorities also seized approximately 8.5 lakh pills, 2,014 kg of poppy husk, 46 kg of cannabis, 6.3 kg of charas, 498 bottles of illicit liquor, around 9.5 kg of narcotic powder, and 514 injections. Additionally, police demolished 49 properties illegally built using drug money and confiscated 22 motorcycles, 8 mobile phones, 4 cars, and 12 pistols linked to drug operations. Gold and silver jewelry worth over 5 kg were also recovered.
Bhullar emphasized that under Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s leadership, Punjab is committed to eliminating drug networks. He claimed that over 90% of drug traffickers have either fled the state or gone into hiding.
Urging Punjab’s youth to stay away from criminal activities, he warned that foreign-based gangsters lure young people into illegal activities. He also cautioned that those injured in police encounters often suffer lifelong disabilities.
The Punjab government recently passed a bill allowing the transfer of criminals and terrorists to and from other states, aiming to increase fear among offenders. This year’s budget includes ₹438 crore for anti-drug and crime-fighting initiatives, with ₹150 crore allocated for a drug survey and ₹110 crore for anti-drone systems to curb cross-border trafficking.
Successful drone tests were conducted in Tarn Taran, and official deployment will begin soon. The advanced drones, capable of monitoring a 10-kilometer radius, will intercept and neutralize any suspicious aerial activity along the border.
