SNE NETWORK.CHANDIGARH.
Spa centers of Punjab have become the new base of drug smugglers. When the smugglers operating the drug smuggling network in the state were caught and their network was thoroughly investigated, the narcotics role of spa centers came to the fore.
This has been revealed in a report shared with the government by the Anti Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) under the war against drugs. ANTF ADGP Nilabh Kishore said that drug smugglers are creating new supply chains of drugs under the guise of spa centers. Drug smugglers are connecting spa centers located in some districts of Punjab like Amritsar, Jalandhar, Mohali, Patiala and others with their gangs.
Drug racket along with prostitution in spa centers
According to ANTF, drug racket is also being carried out under the guise of prostitution in spa centers. The police is also keeping an eye on these spa centers. According to ANTF officials, drug smugglers use these spa centers as sale points of drugs in their network. Drug smugglers supply small quantities of drugs to drug customers through the girls working in these spa centers.
Surveillance of spa centers increased
ADGP Nilabh Kishore said that under the government’s war against drugs campaign, ANTF and all district police have been instructed to check spa centers in their jurisdiction. The supply chain of drugs in spa centers is being investigated. Police have also recovered drugs from many spa centers, although no big drug cartel or consignment has been recovered from these centers so far, but surveillance has been increased on the drugs sold in these spa centers through small packets and the smugglers who easily create a supply chain of drugs.
Traffickers added girls from north-eastern states to the network
Girls from north-eastern states working in spa centres are also being added to the network of drug trade. These girls work to trap the youth visiting the spa centres into the drug trap and also add new customers. When ANTF investigated some cases, it came to light that in many places, records of the girls from north-eastern states working in spa centres are not even kept, so that they can easily escape the clutches of the police.