Chandigarh, Sep 16 (IANS) Drug related crimes have gone down significantly in the union territory of Chandigarh in 2009 due to various measures adopted by the city police, officials said here Wednesday.
“To tackle the menace of drug peddlers, the special crime investigation cell devised this strategy. It involved setting up a separate mechanism for effective collection and dissemination of intelligence and follow-up action to nab the smugglers,” said the official spokesperson here Wednesday evening.

He added: “The strategy worked well and there has been a significant decline in the number of cases detected under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS Act). This year up to August we have registered only 47 cases and 50 arrests were made.”

According to official records, in 2008, 91 cases were detected and 98 persons were arrested. In 2007, 144 cases were registered and 150 persons, including a Nigerian, were arrested. In 2006, the cell detected 181 cases.

The cell had been successful in seizing large quantity of contraband including smack, heroin, cannabis, poppy husk and opium and other drugs.

Senior Superintendent of Police S.S. Srivastava said: “The policing in Chandigarh is qualitatively different from other cities due to its close proximity to Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh and because of heavy influx of migrant population.”

“We had earmarked certain areas where drugs were sold and kept a strict vigil on anti-social elements,” Srivastava said.