Punjab Police will acquire high-speed cars as part of a new plan to establish a unit committed to road safety and successfully pursuing criminals, authorities said on Monday. Inspector General of Police Sukhchain Singh Gill stated 144 cars will be acquired, including 116 Isuzus and 28 Mahindra Scorpios, and that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has directed that the police vehicles be capable of pursuing criminals, news agency PTI reported.

In a press conference here, Gill announced the formation of the ‘Sadak Surakhya Force’ to combat crime and traffic accidents. According to him, the state government has set aside Rs 39.50 crore for it.

Additional Police Director General The force’s nodal officer has been named A S Rai. According to him, the force will be outfitted with cutting-edge technology such as body cams, GPS-equipped cars, and breath analyzers. He also stated that the force will have its own uniform.

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Speaking on the police’s response to drug smuggling over the previous year, Gill stated that 14,952 drug traffickers, including 2,132 major smugglers, had been apprehended since July 5, last year. According to him, the police have received 11,147 First Information Reports (FIRs) in this respect.

Gill further stated that police found 987.75 kilogrammes of heroin while conducting cordon and search operations in drug-affected regions around the state.

In addition, 147.5 kg of heroin was collected from Gujarat and Maharashtra seaports, bringing the total effective heroin recovery to 1,135.25 kg in 11 months, he added.

In addition to heroin, the IGP stated that police confiscated 731 kg of opium, 840.76 kg of ganja, 350.40 quintals of poppy husk, and 62.49 lakh pills, capsules, injections, and vials of pharma opioids from throughout the state.

According to the official, Rs 11.83 crores in cash has been confiscated from the possession of drug traffickers detained during the last 11 months.