120 drug peddlers held, Rs 21 lakh cash, narcotics seized in Delhi under ‘Operation Kavach 10.0'

New Delhi, Sep 22 (PTI) The Delhi Police have arrested 120 drug peddlers and recovered a substantial quantity of narcotics along with Rs 21 lakh cash under ‘Operation Kavach-10.0’ ahead of the festive season, officials said on Monday.

The 24-hour coordinated operation that began on September 20, covered 2,003 locations across 15 districts with the involvement of 1,140 police teams, including units from the Crime Branch and Special Cell, they said.

The police said 96 cases were registered under the NDPS Act during which 158.9 grams of heroin, 40.2 kg of cannabis, 108 grams of cocaine and Rs 21,08,400 cash were seized.

In addition, 269 cases were lodged under the Delhi Excise Act, leading to the arrest of as many individuals and seizure of 337 liquor bottles, 33,310 quarters of illicit liquor, 115 beer bottles and 278 beer cans, they said.

Over 1,500 people were also arrested for drinking in public places, the police added.

Under the Arms Act, 117 people were arrested in 115 cases. The recoveries included two pistols, 16 country-made firearms, 23 live cartridges and 95 knives, they said.

According to officials, 358 people were nabbed in 192 gambling cases, recovering nearly Rs 4 lakh, besides arresting 26 proclaimed offenders and 24 auto-lifters with 50 stolen two-wheelers.

Authorities further detained 20,854 individuals under preventive provisions of the Delhi Police Act, while 6,321 were taken into preventive custody.

More than 3,100 known offenders were checked and 4,274 violators prosecuted under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), they said.

According to the police, the sustained crackdown under the “Zero Tolerance Policy” against drugs aims to dismantle trafficking networks and curb supply ahead of the festive season.

“Operation Kavach was launched in 2023 as a periodic city-wide drive, and nine editions have been carried out so far,” Special Commissioner of Police (Crime) Devesh Chandra Srivastva said. PTI SSJ SMV NB