Gandhinagar, June 17 (IANS) Gujarat Police has expanded its anti-narcotics enforcement framework, directing all police stations across the state to actively detect, register and investigate offences under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act as part of a strengthened statewide campaign against drug-related crime.
The decision was taken during a high-level review meeting chaired by Director General of Police (DGP) G.S. Malik, who instructed all units to adopt a more proactive enforcement approach and ensure strict action in all NDPS cases, including those involving small quantities of narcotic substances, in line with the state government’s policy.
“The fight against drugs requires consistent vigilance and decisive action at every level. All units must act proactively and ensure strict enforcement under the NDPS Act,” DGP Malik said, directing officers to maintain continuous surveillance over drug traffickers and peddlers.
He also called for sustained intelligence-based operations to dismantle distribution networks and curb the spread of narcotic substances.
A significant administrative change announced in the meeting extends the responsibility of NDPS enforcement beyond specialised agencies such as the Crime Branch and the Special Operations Group (SOG).
All local police stations have now been instructed to take direct responsibility for detecting, intercepting and registering drug-related offences within their jurisdictions, making anti-drug enforcement a core policing function at the grassroots level.
The meeting further decided that accountability will be fixed in cases where NDPS offences within a police station’s jurisdiction are registered by external agencies, with responsibility to be determined at the level of concerned officers.
As part of the operational strategy, police personnel have been directed to conduct detailed interrogation of individuals arrested in drug-related cases to trace the supply chain, identify suppliers and expose larger trafficking networks.
Authorities said strict legal action will be pursued against all individuals involved in the sale, distribution and transportation of narcotic substances.
Reiterating the state’s stance, Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi said: “Gujarat continues to follow a zero-tolerance policy towards drug-related offences and remains committed to strict action against both trafficking and abuse of narcotic substances.”
Alongside enforcement measures, the Gujarat Police will also extend support for counselling and rehabilitation services for individuals affected by drug addiction, aiming to complement legal action with recovery-focused interventions.
The state police leadership has also approved a rewards-and-recognition system for personnel who demonstrate effective performance in detecting and investigating NDPS cases, with the objective of achieving stronger enforcement outcomes across all districts.
–IANS
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