Himachal Police tighten the noose on Drug Mafia as PIT-NDPS detentions hit 62; Focus shifts to breaking financial networks
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Shimla, Dec 8,
In what marks a strategic shift from routine arrests to long-term incapacitation of drug syndicates, the Himachal Pradesh Police have detained 16 high-profile traffickers under the stringent Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (PIT-NDPS) Act — a move officials say is now central to a broader push targeting the financial and operational backbone of the “chitta” trade.
Unlike traditional NDPS arrests, which often result in short-term custody before accused return to the field, PIT-NDPS allows preventive detention of organised traffickers with a history of evading prosecution. Senior officers say the Act is being invoked only after exhaustive surveillance, financial scrutiny, and community intelligence inputs confirm sustained involvement in narcotics supply chains.
Coordinated action across districts
The 16 individuals detained in the past week belong to what police insiders call the “mid-level logistics network” — suppliers who connect border-state drug inflows to local peddling circuits. The coordinated detentions spanned Solan (4), Dehra (4), Baddi (3), Nurpur (2), Hamirpur (1), Mandi (1), and Sirmaur (1), indicating how deeply the informal drug economy has penetrated both rural and industrial belts.
This brings the total number of major traffickers detained under PIT-NDPS to 62, even as illegal properties worth over Rs 48 crore have been seized so far — an unprecedented figure for a hill state historically unaccustomed to financial crimes linked with narcotics.
Zero Tolerance is shifting from rhetoric to measurable disruption
Officials told HimachalScape that the focus has now moved beyond street-level peddling to identifying funding channels, hawala links, and interstate supplier networks—a dimension often overlooked in public discourse.
Director General of Police Ashok Tiwari, IPS, said the aim is to “break the spine of the ecosystem that supports narcotics distribution,” adding that the force is prepared for prolonged legal and operational battles. “We are committed to dismantling every link of the drug mafia, irrespective of its reach,” he said.
The Zero Tolerance Policy, once seen as largely declaratory, is now backed by data pointing to continuity: 46 major suppliers have been detained since 2023, demonstrating that this is not a one-off sweep but an evolving strategy.
A community-driven intelligence grid
Police sources say the expansion of the emergency helpline 112 into a drug-information channel has widened their intelligence base. Anonymous tip-offs from villages, school districts, industrial clusters, and transport hubs have contributed significantly to mapping the narcotics trail.
The Police Headquarters has again appealed to residents, teachers, and especially parents to remain observant. Many recent detentions emerged after families reported suspicious behaviour around neighbourhood hubs—an indication that communities are increasingly recognising the dangers of addiction-driven crime.
A fight for the future generation
Himachal’s accelerating crackdown comes at a time when the state has witnessed a disturbing rise in heroin-linked crimes, including thefts, assaults, and juvenile involvement. Officers acknowledge that enforcement alone cannot resolve the crisis but argue that strategic incapacitation of major traffickers is a critical first step toward stabilisation.
As the police push deeper into financial investigations and interstate linkages, the latest PIT-NDPS detentions signal an unmistakable message: the state is no longer limiting its fight to visible peddlers but is now targeting the economic networks that keep the chitta trade alive.
About the Author
The HimachalScape Bureau comprises seasoned journalists from Himachal Pradesh with over 25 years of experience in leading media conglomerates such as The Times of India and United News of India. Known for their in-depth regional insights, the team brings credible, research-driven, and balanced reportage on Himachal’s socio-political and developmental landscape.
