Chandigarh: The Punjab Police on Monday carried out a special operation named ‘OPS Seal-VIII’ aimed at checking all vehicles entering or exiting the state in order to keep a tab at drug trafficking and liquor smuggling.

The operation, conducted in the light of the ongoing assembly elections in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir, also intends to keep vigil on the movement of anti-social elements.

27 Arrested, 16 Vehicles Impounded

The operation was conducted in a synchronised manner from 6 am to 2 pm on the directions of Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav.

Special DGP Arpit Shukla said all the senior superintendents of police (SSPs) of the border districts were asked to ensure effective checking.

He said the well-coordinated operation involving over 1,000 police personnel was conducted at 92 entry and exit points of 10 districts, which share boundaries with four states and Union Territory of Chandigarh.

The 10 inter-state border districts include Pathankot, Sri Muktsar Sahib, Fazilka, Ropar, SAS Nagar, Patiala, Sangrur, Mansa, Hoshiarpur and Bathinda.

He said during the operation, a thorough search of suspected vehicles and persons was conducted while ensuring minimum inconvenience was caused to the general public.

Besides checking vehicles, police teams also verified their registration numbers using the VAHAN mobile app, he added.

The Special DGP said as many as 4,245 vehicles were checked, of which 293 were challaned and 16 were impounded.

The police registered 26 first information reports (FIRs) and arrested 27 persons. They also rounded up 401 suspicious persons for questioning.

During the operation, the police teams recovered 1.1 kg opium, 29 kg poppy husk, 42 kg intoxicant powder, 1,070 intoxicant capsules and illicit liquor.