The task force would provide drug detection kits to field officers for on-the-spot identification of any seized narcotic substance.
Presiding over a state-level meeting of all nodal officers of the state anti-narcotic task force and representatives of Narcotic Control Bureau, B K Uppal, Inspector General of Police, Anti Narcotic Task Force, Punjab directed them to coordinate with other agencies and take timely action against drug smugglers.
He also asked them to initiate legal proceedings against drug smugglers for attachment of their properties acquired through ill-gotten means.
Uppal underlined the need for organising visits to educational institutes in their respective areas to create awareness amongst the students about ill-effects of the drugs besides educating drivers, labour class, school drop-outs and slum dwellers as they were more prone to the addiction.
He asked them to launch multi-media campaign for publicising ill-effects of the drugs in their respective areas by involving District Public Relations Offices.
To check the use of synthetic drugs and availability of narcotic substances at chemist shops, he asked them to organise joint operations along with drug inspectors and book the erring chemists and caution them against selling any drug without due prescription of the doctor.
Taking a serious note of some instances of pilferages, he directed them to arrange destruction of seized drugs as early as possible.
He categorically said that any kind of connivance with drug mafia of field officials would not be tolerated and if any kind of such information comes in their notice, strict action should be taken against the guilty.
