Drugs worth Rs 732 cr, 2.68 lakh litre liquor seized in Punjab

Drugs worth Rs 732 crore, including 145 kg of heroin, and 2.68 lakh litres of illicit liquor have been seized in Punjab the run-up to the April 30 Lok Sabha polls, a poll official said here today.

Punjab's Joint Chief Electoral Officer, Amit Talwar said that the narcotics were seized after the Model Code of Conduct came into effect on March 5.

Talwar said that to check the flow of liquor and narcotics during the polls, 637 check points have been set up all over the state and "due to intensive campaign by the authorities drugs having an estimated value of Rs 732.35 crore have been seized after March 5".

Till date, authorities have seized 145.47 kg heroin, 16,090 kg poppy husk (popularly known as bhukki), 91 kg opium, 21 kg charas and 49 kg marijuana (Ganja) from various districts in the state.

"Besides, 2.68 lakh litres illicit liquor and 6.11 lakh bottles of country made liquor and 1.91 lakh kg Lahan (raw material to make illicit liquor) was also seized," Talwar said, adding 9,425 Non-Bailable Warrants have been executed.

Talwar said till date 3,088 FIRs have been lodged and 752 complaints out of a total of 920 received have been disposed off.

Meanwhile, Chief Electoral Officer V K Singh today ordered transfer of three officials including an executive engineer of the Punjab Mandi Board, District Excise Officer and another executive engineer with Punjab Urban Development Authority with immediate effect on various grounds, including violation of the Model Code.

Polling for all 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab is scheduled on April 30, for which a total of 253 candidates are in the fray, the official said, adding that 22,022 polling stations have been set up in the state and 24,298 EVMs have been dispatched to all the districts.