Punjab has registered far more narcotics offenders than any other state in the region. It, however, has one of the lowest rates of invoking the stringent Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (PIT NDPS) Act to detain repeat offenders, official data has revealed.Figures on e-FIRs registered since early 2024 show Punjab’s offender rolls at over 2.17 lakh as of September 10, compared with 53,896 in Haryana, 13,088 in Himachal Pradesh, 10,427 in Jammu and Kashmir, 2,529 in Chandigarh and 104 in Ladakh.Punjab alone accounts for over 70 per cent of registered narcotics offenders across the region. Despite this, the state has ordered preventive detention under the PIT NDPS Act in only seven cases so far.In contrast, Jammu and Kashmir, with a fraction of Punjab’s offender count, has ordered 446 detentions during the same period, the highest in the region. Himachal Pradesh has invoked the Act 205 times and Haryana 156 times. Chandigarh has ordered six detentions and Ladakh none.The PIT NDPS Act is intended for traffickers who cannot be effectively checked through ordinary criminal prosecution, particularly those who repeatedly secure bail or operate through proxies. The disparity between Punjab’s offender numbers and detention orders has raised questions among legal experts about the application of the provision in the state.A Punjab Police spokesperson said the PIT NDPS process was time-consuming and required extensive documentation, multiple reports and the involvement of the civil administration. The process could take several months, he said.The spokesperson said the police had instead taken other swift action against smugglers, including registering fresh cases and seizing contraband after investigation.Since March 1, 2025, the police have registered 60,582 FIRs under the NDPS Act and arrested 79,784 accused, including 708 “big fish” linked to seizures of over 2 kg of heroin each.Total seizures during the drive include 3,803 kg of heroin, 976 kg of opium, 46 tonnes of poppy husk, 1,325 kg of ganja and 78 lakh tablets and capsules.The police said Punjab accounted for nearly 60 per cent of the country’s NDPS cases and a similar share of NDPS-linked property forfeitures. It also cited 969 properties worth Rs 399 crore sent for forfeiture, 914 properties worth Rs 366 crore confirmed for forfeiture, 100 hawala operators arrested with seizures of over Rs 10 crore, an 89 per cent conviction rate in decided cases and 52 drone response teams deployed since December last year.