Punjab’s War on Drugs: Crackdown Intensifies Under Mann Govt, Cases Up 40%, Seizures Spike Across Key Narcotics

15

CHANDIGARH: Punjab’s ‘Yudh Nasheyan Virudh’ has intensified right into a sustained, high-impact crackdown underneath the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab Authorities, with contemporary information pointing to a pointy rise in enforcement, deeper community disruption, and considerably improved conviction outcomes pushed by the flagship marketing campaign Yudh Nasheyan Virudh.

 

The information reveals that 73,541 NDPS circumstances have been registered between 2022 and 2026 (until date), marking a rise of over 40 p.c in comparison with 52,255 circumstances throughout 2017–21. Arrests have additionally seen a steep rise, reaching 98,596 within the present interval, up almost 45 p.c from 68,064 earlier, indicating sustained, large-scale motion in opposition to drug trafficking networks throughout Punjab.

 

The dimensions of enforcement is most evident in seizure patterns, which mirror a deeper penetration into provide chains. Heroin recoveries have surged by 148%, with 5,979 kg seized since 2022 in comparison with 2,412 kg between 2017–21. Opium seizures have additionally risen by over 43 p.c to three,583 kg, pointing to intensified ground-level operations.

 

Motion in opposition to artificial medication has seen a very sharp escalation. Ice (crystal methamphetamine) seizures have jumped greater than fourfold, rising from 17 kg within the ancient times to 93 kg since 2022, registering a 447% enhance. Cocaine seizures, at 6,064 kg, stay broadly in keeping with 6,852 kg recorded earlier, reflecting continued stress on high-value narcotics.

 

The crackdown has additionally widened to deal with pharmaceutical drug abuse, with enforcement businesses recovering 8.7 crore tablets and capsules between 2022–26, underlining a broader technique to chop off provide chains feeding habit amongst youth.

 

Crucially, the enforcement drive is translating into stronger judicial outcomes. Conviction charges have climbed to 89 p.c, indicating tighter investigations, improved evidence-building, and more practical prosecution.

 

Director Common of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav mentioned, “This isn’t simply a rise in enforcement exercise, it’s a structural shift in how the drug menace is being tackled. The rise in circumstances and seizures displays deeper, intelligence-led concentrating on of networks, whereas the bounce in conviction charges reveals that circumstances are being carried by means of to conviction. There may be sustained stress throughout all the chain, from suppliers to distributors.”

 

The DGP mentioned that scale and consistency of this motion stems from the clear strategic route underneath CM Bhagwant Singh Mann, with Yudh Nasheyan Virudh rising because the central driver of coordinated, high-intensity enforcement throughout Punjab.

 

Whereas the rise in seizures displays intensified motion on the bottom, the Bhagwant Mann Authorities has reiterated that the bigger goal stays long-term disruption of drug networks and lowering availability on the grassroots stage, making certain that enforcement interprets into lasting affect.