Chandigarh, Jan 23 (IANS): Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sukhchain Singh Gill on Tuesday said that at least 282 drug abusers are currently undergoing de-addiction treatment across the state.

“In just 20 days, the court has confirmed 237 cases where the order has been passed under Section 64-A of the NDPS act, and 282 drug users have been undergoing the treatment of de-addiction and rehabilitation,” he said.

He said that the government has enforced a three-pronged strategy - enforcement, prevention and rehabilitation -- to eradicate drugs from the state.

He said that Punjab Police has been promoting and creating awareness about section 64-A of the NDPS act, which provides an opportunity to a drug consumer, caught with a few grams of heroin or narcotic powder, for rehabilitation.

“Crackdown against big drug smugglers is also ongoing, with the police arresting 141 drug smugglers and suppliers, including 31 big fish, after registering 109 first information reports (FIRs) in the last week, and recovering 19.4 kg heroin, 8.3 kg opium, 25.23 quintals poppy husk, and 4,201 tablets, capsules, injections and vials of pharma opioids, besides recovering Rs 1.40 lakh drug money from their possession,” the IGP said.

He said with six more proclaimed offenders and absconders in NDPS cases arrested in the last one week, the total number of arrests reached 1,260 since the special drive to arrest them was started on July 5, 2022.

Giving details on disposing-off drugs from January 1 to January 15, Gill said different field and special units of police have destroyed over 523 kg heroin, 79.92 quintals poppy husk, 298 kg ganja and 17.57 lakh narcotic pills and capsules under the supervision of high-level drug disposal committees by burning them in incinerators.

He said the police have also forfeited 263 properties worth Rs 111 crore of big smugglers since the formation of the government, while nine proposals to forfeit properties worth Rs 3.60 crore are pending with the competent authority.