Punjab Minister Harpal Cheema Details Mega Crackdown

In an aggressive political and administrative offensive against cross-border narcotics trafficking and organized crime syndicates, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema declared on Thursday that state law enforcement authorities have arrested nearly 89,000 drug peddlers and smugglers since the Aam Aadmi Party formed the government in March 2022. Cornering opposition parties—including the Shiromani Akali Dal, Bharatiya Janata Party, and Congress—Cheema alleged that previous regimes allowed the illicit drug ecosystem to take deep roots across the border state, which the current administration is dismantling through a zero-tolerance mandate. Backed by dedicated intelligence networks, aerial surveillance drones, and targeted enforcement, state security agencies have filed tens of thousands of first information reports while simultaneously seizing extensive quantities of contraband and laundering proceeds.Massive Enforcements: 68,545 FIRs Filed and ₹23 Crore in Illicit Cash InterceptedDetailing operational metrics achieved under the state's flagship anti-narcotics campaign, the Finance Minister shared significant recovery figures:Massive Arrest Figures: State police have lodged 68,545 criminal cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, netting roughly 89,000 arrests across border districts and urban centers.Heroin and Contraband Confiscations: Law enforcement units have confiscated four quintals of commercial-grade heroin along with 84 kilograms of intoxicating chemical powder.Freezing Illicit Wealth: Financial crackdowns targeting drug networks have resulted in the direct recovery and seizure of unaccounted drug proceeds amounting to over ₹23 crore.Curbing Pharmaceutical Narcotics: Targeted raids on pharmaceutical supply chains resulted in the confiscation of over 6.7 million intoxicating medicinal tablets and capsules, as well as 4,200 prohibited pharmaceutical injections.AGTF Neutralizes Gangster Ecosystem: 188 Key Criminals ApprehendedParallel to the narcotics crackdown, the Punjab government mobilized dedicated specialized policing infrastructure to confront violent crime rings:Formation of AGTF: Shortly after assuming office in March 2022, the state government constituted the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) to dismantle organized mafia syndicates and cross-border extortion rings.Proclaimed Offenders Hunted Down: The specialized force initiated systematic roundups targeting absconding proclaimed offenders (POs), apprehending 188 high-profile criminal operatives linked to organized syndicates.Large Cache of Illegal Weapons Seized: Operations led to substantial recoveries of unlicenced firearms, high-caliber weapons, and ammunition, neutralizing several cross-state criminal modules.Drone Interceptions at the Border: Disrupting Cross-Border Supply ChainsAddressing the technological evolution of cross-border smuggling originating across the international border, Cheema emphasized modern surveillance counter-tactics:Deploying Counter-Drone Surveillance: The state police, in coordination with central border security teams, have deployed dedicated tracking systems and drone monitoring grids to intercept narcotics and weapon payloads dropped via unmanned aerial vehicles.Smashing Supply Chains: The multi-agency strategy focuses on identifying backward and forward supply linkages, ensuring that arrests extend beyond street-level peddlers to kingpins financing the narcotics trade.Commitment to a Drug-Free Punjab: Reaffirming the administration's long-term resolve, Cheema stated that joint administrative, rehabilitative, and punitive measures will continue unabated until Punjab is completely purged of illicit drugs and gang culture.