Haryana launches crackdown on drug smugglers

Chandigarh, Apr 3 (PTI) Haryana Police has launched a crackdown on drug smugglers in one of its "most resolute" anti-drug operations till date, an official statement said here on Thursday.
    A live, dynamic list of 860 notorious drug smugglers, each with three or more Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act cases in the past decade has been circulated to all field units across the state.
    This action, led by the Haryana State Narcotics Control Bureau (HSNCB), reflects a pivot from general enforcement to focused, data-driven disruption of drug trafficking networks, it said.
    "The time for general strategies is over," said DGP, O P Singh, Head of HSNCB.
    "We have identified the core of the problem -- ”repeat offenders who thrive on bail, trial delays, and inconsistent follow-up. This live list is a signal: if you're on it, the state is watching," Singh said.
    Of the 860 identified traffickers, 730 are currently out of jail, and 381 are flagged as 'active', continuing to operate supply lines and influence peddling networks. An additional 130 are behind bars, and 468 have been marked 'inactive'. Eleven offenders have died in the past 10 years.
    The live list, which is being continuously updated by police headquarters, includes district-wise tracking of each smuggler's legal status, activity level, and action history. Field officers have been ordered to treat it as an operational tool, not a static document.
    Sirsa, Fatehabad, and Yamunanagar top the list in terms of smugglers concentration, with Sirsa alone accounting for 117 traffickers, including 106 outside jail.
    "These districts have long been vulnerable corridors," said a senior HSNCB official. "Now, they are ground zero for targeted enforcement." The orders sent to field units are unambiguous and aggressive, the official said.
    To further streamline enforcement, all districts have been mandated to register on the e-tribunal portal's centralised digital platform for filing financial investigation and conviction reports. This step ensures legal timelines are met under the NDPS Act and builds digital traceability for every confiscation case, he said.
     Citizens have been urged to report any drug-related activity on the anti-drug helpline and other designated numbers. Weekly reviews at district and range levels are already underway, and officers have been advised that non-action will be treated as dereliction of duty, the statement said.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)