EDITOR-IN-CHIEF VINAY KOCHHAR.CHANDIGARH.
The Punjab government is running a campaign against drug abuse called War Against Drugs. The government is taking action against drug smugglers in all districts and is also seizing large quantities of it. The state government is claiming to make the state drug-free by May 31.
Meanwhile, a report by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has surprised everyone. According to the report, Punjab ranks second in drug smuggling cases among the states along the Indo-Pak border. Only Rajasthan is ahead of Punjab. In the last three years, a record 33 thousand cases of drug seizure have been reported in the state.
Recently, this NCB report was also presented in the Parliament by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. According to the report, during the year 2024, a record 9,025 cases of drugs were reported in Punjab, in which 46,227 kg of drugs were seized. In the year 2023, 11,564 cases were reported and during this period 47,475 kg of drugs were seized. In the year 2022, 51,252 kg of drugs were seized in 12,423 cases, which was the highest in the last three years.
According to an NCB report, the Punjab border has been the most affected, where maximum seizures of drugs, counterfeit notes and arms and ammunition have been made by state or central agencies. This includes huge quantities of heroin, opium, hashish and other drugs. AK-47, AK-56, rifles, RDX, foreign-made rifles and counterfeit notes have also been seized in the border areas of Punjab.
Smuggling increasing through drones, Amritsar most affected
According to the report, smuggling of heroin through drones is a new challenge in India recently. Such cases have been reported on the Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan and Punjab border. The Amritsar sector is the most sensitive in terms of smuggling through drones. Now the state government is also preparing to install anti-drone system on the border.
586 kg of heroin seized so far
During the war against drugs campaign being run by the Punjab government, 14183 drug smugglers have been arrested by registering 8352 FIRs since March 1, 2025. 586 kg of heroin, 246 kg of opium, 135 quintals of bhukki, 8.9 kg of hashish, 193 kg of ganja, 2.5 kg of ICE, 1.6 kg of cocaine, 25.70 lakh intoxicant pills, capsules and drug money worth Rs 10.75 crore have been seized from the possession of drug smugglers.
Status of all states along the Indo-Pak border
Gujarat Case Drugs Seized (in kg)
Year 2022 516 29,157
Year 2023 604 26,624
Year 2024 623 20971
Jammu & Kashmir Case Drugs Seized
Year 2022 1875 20857
Year 2023 2149 11066
Year 2024 1539 5708
Punjab Case Drugs Seized
Year 2022 12,423 51,252
Year 2023 11,564 47475
Year 2024 9,025 46,227
Rajasthan Case Drugs Seized
Year 2022 3,738 1,76,321
Year 2023 5,098 2,94,582
Year 2024 5,462 2,31,814