In a significant boost to Punjab’s intensified war on drugs, Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on Tuesday inaugurated the newly-constructed ultra-modern Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) Range Office in Patiala. The state-of-the-art facility, part of the ongoing ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ campaign launched under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, is designed to serve as a nerve centre in Punjab’s battle against narcotics.
Built at a cost of Rs one crore over 6,800 square feet, the two-storey ANTF Patiala Range Office is equipped with cutting-edge forensic and data analysis tools, forensic data extraction and decryption systems, and cryptocurrency investigation technology. A team of trained technical experts has been stationed at the facility to track and dismantle drug trafficking networks with precision and speed.
“This office is a technological force multiplier. We are deploying every possible resource — human, digital, forensic — to ensure no drug network operates with impunity in Punjab,” said DGP Yadav, who was accompanied by Special DGP ANTF Kuldeep Singh and ADGP Nilabh Kishore at the inauguration.
To improve on-ground responsiveness, the ANTF unit has been strengthened with new vehicles to facilitate swift operational mobility. Calling the campaign a “relentless war,” the DGP said, “Yudh Nashian Virudh will continue until we root out the last trace of drugs from our soil.”
Highlighting the achievements of the campaign since March 1, 2025, DGP Yadav revealed that Punjab Police has registered 8,960 FIRs and arrested 15,272 drug smugglers. Massive seizures include 603 kg heroin, 249 kg opium, 14 tonnes of poppy husk, 262 kg ganja, 26.28 lakh intoxicant tablets, and Rs 10.81 crore in drug money. Properties worth Rs 74.27 crore illegally acquired by 144 smugglers have been frozen.
He noted that the state’s approach is both firm and humane. “While we’re aggressively going after smugglers, we are also committed to rehabilitation and prevention,” said DGP Yadav. Over 1,100 users caught with small quantities have been referred to de-addiction under Section 64-A of the NDPS Act. Moreover, police have facilitated treatment for 5,786 addicts and encouraged 6,483 individuals to seek care at OOAT clinics.
A key pillar of this public-driven movement is the Safe Punjab WhatsApp Chatbot (9779100200), which has revolutionized tip-offs with confidentiality. Out of 7,635 tips received via the chatbot, 1,596 FIRs were registered leading to the arrest of 1,814 accused.
The DGP credited strong community participation, with 19,559 Village Defence Committees actively aiding in enforcement and outreach. “This is not just a police mission — it’s a people’s movement,” he said, appealing for continued public cooperation.
In a bold next step, the DGP revealed that the department is exploring GPS anklets to monitor movements of major smugglers released on bail. “We’re examining the proposal from a legal standpoint and will seek court approval to implement this tracking mechanism,” he added.
Looking ahead, Punjab Police is also developing an AI-powered hierarchical database to map NDPS arrests, tracing backward and forward linkages up to two levels to expose deeper networks.
He further informed that the government had allocated Rs 12 crore last year for ANTF’s technical upgradation, which has now been increased to Rs 13.5 crore this year. Similar ANTF offices are under construction in other ranges, including Jalandhar, to ensure statewide coverage.
