Need joint strategy to check drug, liquor smuggling: IGPs

BATHINDA: There is an imperative need to handle crossborder smuggling of drugs and liquor and develop a coordinated strategy to counter it, stated officials at the coordination meeting of IGPs from north Indian states of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. They agreed that drug and liquor smuggling, apart from tackling organised crime, is the biggest challenge for the police of three north Indian states.

Inspector General of Bikaner in Rajasthan B L Meena said consignments of habit forming drugs, opium and heroin reach Punjab from Rajasthan and liquor from Punjab and Haryana is smuggled to the dry state of Gujarat via Rajasthan and it could be effectively tackled with complete coordination. He also admitted that Hindu Mal Kot area in Rajasthan on Punjab border has become a transit point, from where Pakistan based smugglers keep trying to smuggle drugs into Rajasthan and Punjab.

A joint strategy was devised in the interstate meeting to effectively tackle the menace of drug smuggling and organised criminals by sharing information up to SHO and sub divisional level. It was decided to hold interstate meeting after three months for better coordination and sharing feedback.

Apart from drug smuggling from Rajasthan, liquor smuggling from Haryana to Punjab is rampant. The Bathinda police have registered 709 cases under NDPS Act and arrested 980 persons. Police have registered 1,129 cases under Excise Act and arrested 1,161 persons from January 1, 2018 to March 5, 2019. A large number of these NDPS cases are of smuggling from Rajasthan and excise act of liquor smuggling from Haryana.

Inspector General Hisar in Haryana Amitabh Singh Dhillon said the Haryana police have shared information with Punjab counterparts about liquor smuggling to Punjab. The meeting was attended by Bathinda Range IG MF Farooqui, Ferozepur Range IG MS Chhina apart from IGs from Bikaner and Hissar.

Bathinda Range decided to put up CCTV camera especialy at the border area nakas with Haryana and Rajasthan whereas Ferozepur Range decided to set up 30 nakas on borders to stop smuggling.

Meena told TOI that Rajasthan police has detected that habit forming drugs are smuggled from Agra and Delhi whereas heroin, opium are smuggled from Mandsaur in MP and Chittorgarh area in Rajasthan.