In a significant blow to the narcotics trade in Punjab, the Ludhiana police have moved to freeze assets valued at more than Rs 1 crore belonging to three alleged drug smugglers. This decisive action, taken under the stringent Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, targets the financial infrastructure of the accused, aiming to cripple their operations.
Details of the Asset Freezing Operation
The police action, led by Commissioner of Police Kuldeep Singh Chahal, specifically targeted three individuals: Ravinder Singh alias Ravi Kana, his brother Sukhdev Singh alias Sukha, and their associate Manpreet Singh alias Mani Kahlon. The frozen properties include both movable and immovable assets accumulated through alleged illicit drug trafficking.
According to official statements, the attached properties are spread across multiple locations. The police have frozen four plots of land in Mundian Kalan and another plot in New Janta Nagar, Pakhowal Road. Beyond real estate, the authorities have also seized three cars and two motorcycles, believed to have been purchased with the proceeds of the drug trade.
Legal Framework and Police Strategy
This crackdown is not an isolated event but part of a sustained strategy by the Ludhiana Police Commissionerate. The action was sanctioned under Section 68-F of the NDPS Act, which allows for the attachment of properties derived from or used in illicit drug trafficking. Commissioner Chahal emphasized that this approach directly attacks the economic power of smugglers, making it harder for them to fund their activities or enjoy the profits of their crimes.
The police highlighted that the three accused were already in judicial custody, facing serious charges related to drug smuggling. The asset-freezing measure is a parallel legal process designed to ensure that crime does not pay, even if the accused are eventually convicted on the primary charges.
Broader Implications and Ongoing War on Drugs
This case underscores the Punjab police's intensified focus on following the money trail in narcotics cases. By targeting properties and high-value items, law enforcement aims to dismantle the entire ecosystem that supports drug smuggling networks. The message is clear: the state is committed to using every tool available to disrupt the drug trade's financial backbone.
The police have urged the public to continue providing information about drug-related activities, assuring confidentiality. This latest seizure of assets worth over Rs 1 crore serves as a stark warning to those involved in the narcotics business that their ill-gotten gains are not safe from seizure.
Officials stated that investigations are ongoing to trace and attach any further properties linked to the accused or their network. The Ludhiana police's action is seen as a model for other districts in Punjab to emulate in the comprehensive fight against the drug menace plaguing the state.
