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.
At a meeting with the Punjab Revenue Officers Association here, the minister assured representatives of the association that all their demands will be considered sympathetically, while asking them to immediately join their offices in larger public interest.
Chairing a high-level review meeting with officials of the NRI Affairs Department and members of the NRI Commission, he issued directions that the appointment of the nodal officers should be made in a transparent manner and working of these officers should be reviewed by the Deputy Commissioners on a regular basis.
On March 24, the police received a tip-off that two members of this cartel -- Dinesh and Nazir -- have collected a big consignment of heroin from Jharkhand and would come to Delhi to deliver the supply of contraband to one of their contacts.
Presiding over the valedictory function of three-day Punjabi cinema, television and theatre mega show jointly organised by the Punjabi Film and TV Actors' Association and Punjabi University here, he reiterated his government's firm commitment that no student would be bereft of higher education due to paucity of funds.
Nishad, the main accused has reportedly fled the country. Property worth Rs 36.62 crore belonging to Nishad and others were earlier attached by the ED. Gafoor, the director of Stox Global Brokers Private Limited, was arrested as Rs 39 crore which was reportedly proceeds of crime was transferred through his firm. The ED has claimed that his firm is basically a shell company.
Responding to the question of Samajwadi Party Member Rewati Raman Singh, the Minister of State, Health, Bharati Pawar said that altogether, 22 All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) are being set up in the country. Out of 10 proposed in the first phase, six have started functioning with all departments.
