Police Nabs International Drug Smuggler; Court Slams Data Delays

Panjab’s ongoing clampdown on the drug trade continued as Tarn Taran Police apprehended an international narcotics smuggler identified as Shehnaz Singh alias Shawn Bhinder on 10 Mar. The US Federal Bureau of Investigation has also been pursuing Bhinder who is a resident of Brampton, Canada. Panjab police officials said Bhinder allegedly trafficked cocaine from Colombia into the US and Canada. Four of his associates were already arrested abroad on 26 Feb with 391 kg of meth, 109 kg of cocaine, and several firearms. Meanwhile, the Punjab and Haryana High Court came down hard on Panjab government for failing to supply data to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), thus hindering a high-level probe into illicit over-the-counter drug sales. The court gave the Panjab govt. a 10-day ultimatum to forward the requested information. On the enforcement front, the Aam Aadmi Party-led govt. declared that non-commercial drug users would receive de-addiction and rehabilitation help under Section 64(a) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act rather than be criminally charged. Officials note Panjab had the second-highest NDPS case count nationally after Kerala in 2024 but recorded cases have declined over the past three years, from 12,423 in 2022 to 9,025 in 2024. Special Director General of Police Arpit Shukla said enforcement, de-addiction, and prevention form the core of the state’s strategy, adding that 1,658 suspected peddlers have been arrested in the last 12 days. However, in violation of the Supreme Court of India’s decision, the Panjab govt. continues to demolish traffickers’ illegal assets. In Sunam, Sangrur district, Budh Singh’s alleged drug-peddling houses or shops were torn down. The Municipal Corporation, Ludhiana also demolished six illegal constructions and eight encroachments in different parts of the city on 12 Mar (earlier coverage).