Shimla Police Strike Drug Taskar, Freeze Assets Worth ₹70 Lakh

Shimla Police freeze ₹70 lakh in illegal assets tied to drug smugglers, targeting the financial networks of narcotics operations

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Jun 28, 2026 - 14:04

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Shimla Police Strike Drug Taskar, Freeze Assets Worth ₹70 Lakh

Shimla : In a decisive move to dismantle the financial infrastructure of narcotics networks, the Shimla Police have frozen illegal assets valued at approximately ₹70 lakh linked to two separate cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Officials stated that law enforcement is shifting its strategy from merely arresting peddlers to choking their economic resources to permanently disrupt the drug trade in Himachal Pradesh.

According to Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) City Shimla, Mehar Panwar, the first case dates back to February 11, 2025, when the local detection cell intercepted a resident of Kinnaur, identified as Sahil, with 6 grams of heroin (locally known as chitta) in Rampur. A deeper investigation into the backward and forward supply chains led to the exposure and arrest of six additional accomplices under Section 29 of the NDPS Act. A subsequent financial scrutiny revealed that three of the accused possessed unexplained wealth worth ₹32 lakh, including luxury vehicles and 44.1 grams of gold, all of which have now been frozen.

The second action targets a habitual offender, Chetan Chauhan, who already faced multiple NDPS charges. Following preventive detention orders under the PIT-NDPS Act, Chauhan was apprehended in Chandigarh on April 25, 2026, and is currently lodged in Kaithu Jail. The financial investigation into his holdings uncovered illicit assets worth ₹38 lakh, comprising a truck, a car, 74 grams of gold, and various bank accounts.

ASP Mehar Panwar confirmed that the combined value of the frozen properties stands at ₹70 lakh. The probe established that the accused lacked any legitimate source of income and had accumulated these assets over the past six years purely through the proceeds of drug trafficking.

This latest crackdown reflects an aggressive escalation in the state's anti-drug campaign. District police data indicates that in the first six months of 2026 alone, financial investigations have led to the seizure of assets worth ₹1.83 crore across four different cases involving six accused. This marks a significant policy shift, contrasting sharply with the previous two years, during which no such financial asset forfeitures were recorded.

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