Punjab Newsline | Chandigarh
Intensifying its crackdown on organised crime, the Punjab Police on Saturday carried out 829 raids across the state as part of the 165th day of its flagship 'War Against Drugs' campaign aimed at eliminating gangster networks from Punjab.
Launched on January 20, 2026, by Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav, the statewide operation is being jointly executed by district police units and the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) to dismantle criminal syndicates and their support networks.
During Saturday's operation, police teams raided identified and mapped locations linked to gangster associates, leading to the arrest of 570 individuals and the seizure of 15 illegal weapons. With these arrests, the total number of people apprehended under the campaign has risen to 43,697.
In addition, police initiated preventive action against 258 persons and arrested 15 Proclaimed Offenders (POs) during the day-long operation.
Punjab Police has also urged citizens to support the campaign by sharing information about wanted criminals, gangsters and other criminal activities through the Anti-Gangster Helpline (93946-93946), assuring complete anonymity to informants.
Continuing its parallel anti-drug campaign 'War Against Drugs', which entered its 490th day, Punjab Police arrested 58 drug smugglers across the state on Saturday.
Police recovered 3.5 kg of heroin, 2.3 kg of opium, 627 intoxicant pills, and Rs 36,900 in suspected drug money from the accused. With the latest arrests, the total number of drug smugglers arrested under the campaign has reached 71,592 in the past 490 days.
As part of its de-addiction initiative, Punjab Police also persuaded 11 individuals to undergo treatment and rehabilitation, reinforcing its strategy of combining strict law enforcement with rehabilitation measures to tackle drug abuse.
