CHANDIGARH, APRIL 6 — Punjab has secured the highest conviction rate for narcotics offenses in India, reaching a record 89 percent in 2026. This legal milestone follows a period of systematic reform within the state’s policing model, shifting the focus from simple arrests to ensuring long-term judicial outcomes.
The current success stems from the state government’s flagship campaign, Yudh Nashean Virudh. Under this initiative, enforcement agencies have transitioned toward prosecution-led investigations. Official data reveals a consistent upward trajectory in court victories. In 2022, courts decided 4,812 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, resulting in 3,870 convictions for an 80 percent success rate. By 2025, that figure climbed to 88 percent with 6,488 convictions. The first quarter of 2026 has already seen 1,634 convictions out of 1,831 cases.
A senior Punjab Police official affirmed that the strategy is designed to eliminate technical loopholes that previously allowed traffickers to evade justice.
“The objective is not just to arrest traffickers but to make sure that they get jailed too,” the officer stated. “Our investigations are now designed to meet the highest legal standards so that cases stand strong during trial.”
The department has implemented a 60-point investigation checklist and appointed Trial Special Officers to manage the progress of cases in the judicial system. To bolster the quality of evidence, over 400 Investigating Officers have completed a mandatory six-day certification at the Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law in Patiala. This training focuses on the stringent procedural safeguards of the NDPS Act, specifically regarding search and seizure protocols.
Beyond courtroom procedures, the state has targeted the financial infrastructure of organized crime. Authorities have frozen assets worth hundreds of crores by tracing the economic trails of drug syndicates.
“By tracing financial trails and attaching illegal assets, we are dismantling the economic backbone of these networks,” the officer maintained. “This also strengthens our cases in court because it establishes clear links between traffickers and organized drug trade.”
