CHANDIGARH: Eight Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) teams consisting of 25 officers have been assigned to map the border areas of Punjab as the Punjab Government today mooted preventive detention of repeat offenders in drugs smuggling. Around 200 such criminals have been identified by the Punjab Police.
Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh pointed out that the NDPS Act provides for preventive detention of such criminals and also suggested Fast Track Courts for speedy trials for NDPS offenders.
Singh said he will take up the matter of operationalising such Fast Track Courts at the earliest with the Chief Justice of the Haryana and Punjab High Court.
Singh held a video conference with DCs and SSPs to check the progress of drug eradication. The Video Conference was preceded by a meeting of the Consultative Group on Drugs: Comprehensive Action Plan against Drugs Abuse, headed by Singh.
NCB Deputy Director General SK Jha informed the meeting that around 25 officers, including himself, had been deputed to Punjab to strengthen coordination with other states, such as J&K and Gujarat, which had emerged as major sources of drug flow into the state.
Jha underlined the need to chase money trails to check drugs trafficking and also appreciated the State’s efforts to counter the drug problem.