Archive · 13 Sep 2026
Punjab’s Drug Challenge Shifts From Heroin To Pharmaceutical Smuggling
Punjab says fewer heroin shipments are reaching its streets from across the Pakistan border.
Police have added anti-drone equipment, response teams, checkpoints and cameras to stop smugglers.
They say 486 drones have been recovered.
They also say nearly 80,000 arrests have been made since March 2025.
Properties worth more than Rs 336 crore have been frozen.
But the drug problem has changed instead of disappearing.
Pharmaceutical tablets and capsules are now a major concern.
The government says many of these medicines are brought from other Indian states.
Punjab wants those states to better monitor medicine factories, sales and transport.
Punjab’s government says heroin availability has fallen after reduced cross-border smuggling from Pakistan.
Police report recovering 486 drones and freezing properties worth more than Rs 336 crore.
Authorities say nearly 80,000 people have been arrested since March 2025 in the crackdown.
Pharmaceutical narcotics have become Punjab’s biggest drug-enforcement challenge as heroin availability declines.
The government claims about 80% of pharmaceutical drugs entering Punjab come from other states.
- Who
- The Punjab government and Punjab Police, working with the Border Security Force and village committees.
- What
- Authorities say heroin smuggling has declined, while pharmaceutical drug smuggling has become the state’s main drug-enforcement challenge.
- When
- Since March 2025 for the reported arrests and seizures; three Drone Sense D200 Pro units were deployed since September 3.
- Where
- Punjab, including its districts along the Pakistan border; pharmaceutical consignments are linked to Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi and Himachal Pradesh.
- Why
- The government says cross-border heroin supplies have been reduced, while medicines from other states are being diverted into illicit drug markets.
- Drones recovered
- 486
- Reported arrests
- Nearly 80,000 since March 2025
- Frozen properties
- More than Rs 336 crore
- Pharmaceutical drugs recovered
- 11.54 lakh tablets and capsules since 2025
- Estimated outside-state supply
- The government claims around 80% of pharmaceutical drugs entering Punjab come from other states
- Anti-drone systems
- Nine systems, including three Baaj Akh systems
- Security network
- 52 Drone Response Teams, 64 second-line defence nakas and more than 2,300 CCTV cameras across 585 locations