7.93L tablets, injections of pharma opioids seized in Punjab
Darpan News Desk IANS, 25 Jul, 2022 01:02 PM
Chandigarh, July 25 (IANS) Amid the ongoing war against drugs, Punjab Police have seized over 7.93 lakh tablets, capsules and injections of pharma opioids across the state in the past week, a senior police official said on Monday.
The seized pharma opioids include 6.82 lakh intoxicant tablets, 17,169 injectable narcotics, 85,442 intoxicant capsules and 8,648 vials of intoxicant syrup.
The major recovery comes after the Fatehgarh Sahib police had busted a pharmaceutical drug cartel after making a big seizure of over 7 lakh pharma opioids during a raid at an illegal storage godown in Saharanpur district of Uttar Pradesh, said Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sukhchain Singh Gill, who was addressing the weekly press meet here.
He said the police have arrested 508 drug smugglers and suppliers after registering 389 FIRs, including 40 commercial, under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in the past week.
In addition, the police have also arrested 31 proclaimed offenders and absconders wanted in the NDPS cases.
Apart from recovering pharma opioids, the police have also recovered 8.37 kg heroin, 32.28 kg opium, 53.2 kg ganja, and 140 quintals of poppy husk, besides recovering Rs 11.73 lakh drug money after carrying out cordon and search operations in drug-affected areas.
Talking about the trends in drug smuggling, IGP Gill said using emergency service vehicles like ambulance for drug smuggling raised serious concerns.
The police in Mohali on Sunday arrested three persons after recovering 8 kg opium concealed in a pillow placed under the head of a fake patient lying in the ambulance.
On receiving information about the incident, SP City Dinesh Kumar Singh, along with police force, reached the spot. The injured youths were sent to the hospital for treatment and the matter is being investigated.
The Chief Minister said the government is fully sensitive towards checking cross-border infiltration in Punjab. He said Punjab Police is constantly in touch with the Border Security Force (BSF) and other agencies for this purpose.
While briefing the officers, the DGP said the topmost priority of the government, as directed by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, is to further strengthen the fight against drugs to make Punjab a drug-free state, besides eliminating the gangster culture, maintaining law and order, and detection of crime.
Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur announced Rs 5 lakh to the next of the kin of the deceased, whereas Rs 15,000 as immediate relief for the injured. He said free treatment would be provided to the injured.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday carried out his first Cabinet expansion by inducting five legislators, including second-time MLA Aman Arora, into his council of ministers. The expansion came in less than four months of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) sweeping to victory in the Assembly elections by winning 92 seats of the 117 seats.
The police have so far managed to nab four of the accused, including one woman, who have been identified as Gurjant Singh (31), Navjot Singh (30), Satpal Singh (28) and Gurpreet Kaur (30).
