51,979 citizen tip-offs help Punjab make 25,449 drug-related arrests: Govt
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, September 5, 2026: Citizen participation has emerged as a key component of Punjab’s ongoing anti-drug campaign, with 51,979 tip-offs received through the Safe Punjab Helpline helping enforcement agencies make 25,339 arrests in drug-related cases.
The figures cover the period from March 1, 2025, to September 3, 2026, since the launch of the Punjab Government’s ‘Yudh Nashean Virudh’ campaign.
Citizens can provide information about suspected drug peddling and related activities through the Safe Punjab Helpline at 97791-00200. According to the government, the information shared through the helpline has strengthened the enforcement mechanism and helped agencies identify suspected drug networks.
During the period, Punjab registered 59,293 FIRs under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. The government said more than 25,000 arrests were linked to information received through citizen tip-offs.
Focus on Major Drug Suppliers
The enforcement campaign has also targeted individuals allegedly involved in large-scale drug trafficking. As per the data, 696 persons allegedly involved in handling large quantities of heroin were arrested, with each case involving more than two kilograms of heroin.
Enforcement agencies reported recovering 3,757 kg of heroin, 964 kg of opium, 45 tonnes of poppy husk, 1,288 kg of ganja and 71 kg of methamphetamine (ICE).
Authorities also seized 62 lakh tablets and capsules in cases registered under the NDPS Act.
The crackdown has further resulted in the seizure of around ₹22 crore in suspected drug-related money, while 2,675 cases involving commercial quantities of narcotics have been registered.
DGP Says Public Support Strengthening Anti-Drug Efforts
Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav said citizen-generated information had strengthened the work of the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF).
“Tip-offs have provided extra teeth to the Anti-Narcotics Task Force and we firmly believe that in the days to come, there will be more citizen participation in giving tip-offs and subsequent arrests as a result of it,” he said.
ADGP ANTF Punjab Nilabh Kishore said the figures reflected increasing public involvement in the state’s anti-drug enforcement mechanism.
He said the more than 51,979 tip-offs received through the helpline indicated that members of the public were actively sharing information with enforcement agencies.
Police Also Focus on Treatment
Alongside action against drug suppliers and traffickers, the campaign has included efforts to connect people struggling with addiction to treatment facilities.
According to the government data, police personnel helped 42,498 people struggling with addiction reach de-addiction centres, while another 1,55,970 people were taken to Outpatient Opioid-Assisted Treatment (OOAT) clinics.
Separately, 11,239 individuals were granted immunity under Section 64A of the NDPS Act, which provides protection in specified circumstances to drug-dependent persons who voluntarily undergo treatment.
The latest figures indicate that Punjab’s anti-drug campaign is combining enforcement against the supply chain with citizen-generated intelligence and efforts to facilitate treatment for people affected by addiction.