Shimla: In one of the most sweeping crackdowns on drugs and the narco-mafia in Himachal Pradesh, the government, in coordination with anti-narcotics agencies, has launched an unprecedented offensive—placing 1,214 suspected drug peddlers under the scanner and initiating proceedings against 950 illegally acquired properties linked to the drug trade.
More than 120 locations were simultaneously raided across the state last month. Assets worth over Rs 50 crore have been seized under the NDPS Act, a sharp jump compared to the Rs 13 crore seized over the previous government’s three-year tenure.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who led the third round of the Walkathon on Tuesday at Hamirpur—his home district—after similar public actions in Shimla and Dharamshala, said Himachal Pradesh was
engaged in a decisive battle against chitta—a deadly substance that has resulted in several overdose deaths and taken a large number of youths in its grip.
“Strict and decisive action is underway to uproot the Chitta termite from its very roots through the unyielding force of the law,” the Chief Minister stated.
He added that drug traffickers, suppliers, and those protecting these illicit networks were being systematically targeted, using advanced technology besides a strengthened intelligence framework and stringent legal provisions to dismantle organised narcotics cartels.
Highlighting key achievements since the launch of the campaign, the Chief Minister noted that on November 22, the police carried out historic, simultaneous raids at 121 locations across the state, delivering a major blow to the networks of top traffickers.