Drive against drugs: 598 FIRs, 84 arrests under NDPS Act in Doaba

A total of 598 cases under the NDPS Act have been registered in the Doaba (Jalandhar rural, Kapurthala and Hoshiarpur) this year (from January 1 to March 31) in which 804 people have been arrested.

Across the three towns, 7 kg heroin, 6 kg opium and 411 kg poppy husk were seized and Rs 8 lakh was recovered as drug money from peddlers. Drug peddlers’ assets worth over Rs 4 crore were frozen by the police under the NDPS Act.

Of the total 598 cases, Jalandhar (rural) leads with 219 cases (336 arrests), Kapurthala is next with 193 cases (225 arrests) and Hoshiarpur saw 186 cases (243 arrests) this year under the NDPS Act. Across these three towns, seven houses of drug smugglers were demolished under the ongoing Yudh Nashian Virudh Campaign.

In rural areas of Jalandhar, three demolitions of drug peddlers’ houses took place (two at Phillaur and one at Nurmahal), at Kapurthala three (all in Subhanpur) and Hoshiarpur one (Bullowal).

This year, the Jalandhar rural police recovered 1.944 kg heroin, 364 kg poppy husk, 1.752 kg opium, 2.017 kg charas, 26 kg ganja, 20,538 tablets, 14,200 capsules,12 injections and Rs 5,52,700 drug money.

As many as 23 cases of snatching were registered in Jalandhar rural and 38 snatchers were arrested by the police. Meanwhile, 16 cases under the Arms Act were registered during January to March and 58 accused were arrested. Recoveries in Arms Act cases included 20 pistols, 44 cartridges, 3 magazines and one grenade.

Meanwhile, at Kapurthala, the police seized 3.768 kg heroin, 20 kg poppy husk, 2.886 kg opium, 1.5 kg ganja, 26 kg poppy green plants, 9,775 tablets and Rs 2,15,240 drug money.

DIG, Jalandhar Range, Naveen Singla said, “We have been pursuing diligent drives against drug smugglers in the ongoing drive against drugs. We are also stringently monitoring the control rooms regarding the snatching cases and numerous patrols are being conducted to bring down the cases of snatchings and theft. Our ongoing Sampark meets also establish dialogue with the populace to rein in criminal elements."

Jalandhar