The efforts being made by Punjab to counter the menace of drugs has been brought into focus once again as Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has reviewed Punjab’s anti-drug efforts along with senior police officials at Phillaur on Friday. This development has come after immense political pressure was put on the government of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) regarding the issue of drug trafficking.
The state government launched its ‘War Against Drugs’ campaign, also known as ‘Yudh Nashe Virudh’, on March 1, 2025, since then, the police have carried out raids, arrested suspected drug traffickers, seized narcotics and taken action against properties allegedly linked to the drug trade, however, the continuing public debate over drugs raises a larger question: how much progress has Punjab made, and what challenges remain?
According to figures shared by the Punjab government and police, more than 85,000 people accused of drug trafficking had been arrested and around 64,000 FIRs registered by October 2026.
Authorities have also reported seizures of nearly 4,200 kg of heroin and around 980 kg of opium during the campaign, while other recoveries include poppy husk, cannabis, methamphetamine, commonly called ICE, and large quantities of narcotic tablets and capsules, and the government has also reported recovering around ₹20 crore in drug-related proceeds and demolishing houses allegedly built using money earned from the illegal trade.
These figures indicate the scale of enforcement activity reported by the authorities, however, arrests and seizures alone do not establish whether drug availability or addiction has declined across the state and that requires additional evidence, including trends in drug use, treatment demand, repeat trafficking offences and the availability of drugs at the local level.
During Friday’s review meeting at the Punjab Police Academy, Mann met senior officers, including SSPs, DSPs, DIGs, IGs and district officials.
The chief minister said the government had also recently held a meeting with station house officers to gather suggestions from personnel working on the ground. He assured the police that the government would provide new vehicles, equipment and technology to strengthen enforcement.
Mann reiterated that the government would not support drug smugglers and that strict action would be taken against them. He also said properties linked to money earned through drug trafficking would face action.
Importantly, Mann said people struggling with drug addiction should be treated as patients. He stressed that the police must focus on dismantling the supply chain rather than treating addiction only as a law-and-order issue.
This distinction is central to the challenge Punjab faces: stopping the movement and sale of narcotics requires policing, while helping people recover from addiction requires accessible treatment, rehabilitation and continued support.
Drug abuse has remained a major political and public concern in Punjab across successive governments. The previous Akali Dal-BJP government was in power from 2007 to 2017, and opposition parties have repeatedly questioned the action taken against drug trafficking during that period.
The issue has continued under the AAP government, which came to power in 2022, and the BJP has intensified its campaign against drugs in Punjab, launching its ‘Nasha Mukt Punjab’ campaign on September 18, 2026, and the campaign covered all 117 Assembly constituencies, with BJP leaders meeting families affected by drug abuse.
On September 30, Union Home Minister Amit Shah concluded the campaign in Jalandhar and pledged to work towards making Punjab drug-free by December 31, 2029.
Mann responded to Shah’s criticism on Friday by pointing to the reported seizure of around 3,000 kg of narcotics at Gujarat’s Kandla port, he questioned why Punjab was being singled out over the drug problem and challenged the BJP to take responsibility for its own record.
The exchange highlights how the drug issue has become a major political battleground, even as the state continues its enforcement drive.
Several incidents have brought renewed attention to Punjab’s drug problem and the government’s response.
The killing of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota in Mansa has triggered demands for strict action against those responsible. Mann described the incident as unfortunate and said the accused would face punishment under the law, he also said that if a conspiracy was established, everyone involved would be held accountable.
Opposition leaders have also raised questions over alleged drug use, the involvement of police personnel in drug-related cases and the handling of complaints by families affected by addiction.
These incidents have added to public pressure on the government to demonstrate that its campaign is producing results beyond raids, arrests and demolitions.
For now, the state’s drug war continues on two fronts: police enforcement on the ground and a growing political battle over accountability. The larger test is whether these efforts can deliver lasting change for families affected by addiction.
