In a major push to the ongoing drive against drugs ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ launched on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav on Thursday inaugurated the newly constructed ultra-modern Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) Jalandhar Range building at Police Lines in Jalandhar. The DGP was accompanied by Special DGP ANTF Kuldeep Singh, ADGP ANTF Nilabh Kishore and ADGP State Armed Police Punjab MF Farooqui.
The state-of-the-art building, built at a cost of Rs 1.60 crore spread over a covered area of approximately 9,000 square feet, is designed to enhance operational efficiency and house the range’s expanded capabilities to combat drug trafficking more effectively. It includes dedicated offices for Gazetted Officers, cabins for Investigating Officers and support staff, a Reader’s room, and a modern conference room.
DGP Gaurav Yadav said that this facility is equipped with cutting-edge tools to target major drug traffickers and dismantle international narcotics networks operating in the state. This specialised unit features mobile and computer forensic tools, advanced data analysis systems, forensic data extraction, decryption and analysis capabilities, as well as equipment for technical interception and cryptocurrency tracking, he said.
“Recognising the critical need for technological upgradation in drug enforcement, we have not only provided the infrastructure but also deployed a dedicated team of technical staff proficient in operating this advanced equipment,” said the DGP. He informed that the ANTF has further upgraded its technical capabilities with Punjab Artificial Intelligence System (PAIS 2.0) now supporting voice analysis having database of over 70,000 voices of criminals, besides other state-of-art features.
Sharing outcome of the 'Yudh Nashe Virudh' campaign, DGP Gaurav Yadav said that Punjab Police has registered 35,133 FIRs and arrested 50,238 drug smugglers since March 1, 2025, and recovered 2229 kg heroin, 667 kg opium, 28 ton poppy husk, 68 kg charas, 783 kg ganja, 29 kg ICE, 4 kg cocaine, 48.64 lakh intoxicant pills/tablets and Rs 16.68 crores drug money from their possession.
DGP Gaurav Yadav termed the ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ campaign as a huge success and said that this campaign will be continued till the scourge of drugs eradicated from the state. He also exhorted people to report drug-related information confidentially at Safe Punjab Chatbot 97791-00200.
Also present on the occasion were Commissioner of Police (CP) Jalandhar Dhanpreet Kaur, DIG Jalandhar Range Naveen Singla, DIG ANTF Sanjeev Kumar Rampal, DIG ANTF Akhil Chaudhary and AIG ANTF Ashwini Gotyal.