DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Thursday said the ongoing 'War Against Drugs' campaign has got encouraging results with the seizure of over 81 kg heroin, more than 51 kg opium, and Rs 60 lakh in cash in 13 days. A total of 1,259 first information reports (FIRs) have been registered under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS), and 1,759 drug traffickers have been arrested. Additionally, around 7.5 lakh intoxicating tablets and 970 kg of poppy husk along with other synthetic drugs have been seized by the police, he said.

Also, the properties of 29 people associated with drug trafficking have been demolished.Cheema said that these individuals had amassed crores of rupees in illegal assets through smuggling. He said the AAP government is committed to eradicating drugs from Punjab. The police are working around the clock and taking action against drug traffickers.

He said that no one involved in drugs would be spared and in the coming days all such individuals will be behind bars.

Cheema said that, unlike previous governments that protected drug traffickers, the AAP government is taking strict action against them. He accused the previous Akali-BJP and Congress governments of conspiring to trap the youth in drug addiction under a well-thought plan.

He said a Cabinet sub-committee of five ministers, led by him, has been working to properly execute this campaign. This committee will hold a meeting in Chandigarh on Friday to discuss and strategise further actions.

Meanwhile, the district administration of Amritsar demolished the house of notorious drug smuggler Ajay Kumar Billi. Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said five cases have been registered against Ajay Kumar in different police stations, including a case under the NDPS Act. He emphasised the district administration will continue to take action against drug traffickers until they either reform or leave Punjab. The demolition was carried out using a JCB machine and workers.

(editor@dailyworld.in)