Chennai, May 10 (BPNS)

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Tuesday said that the Prohibition Enforcement Wing of the state police would be merged with Narcotics Intelligence Bureau –CID to form a new unit, Narcotics Prevention and Prohibition Enforcement.

This was announced by the Chief Minister while participating in the demand for grants for the Home, Prohibition, and Excise Department in the state legislative assembly.

He said that the state will intensify the crackdown against drugs by ensuring stringent punishment for those involved in the drug trade. Chief Minister said that the assets of drug peddlers will be confiscated and invoke the Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Act against them.

Stalin said that the law enforcement agencies were instructed to confiscate the movable and immovable assets of the offenders and said that in Theni, Madurai, and  Dindigul districts, police seized the vehicles and property documents of the accused persons also froze their bank accounts.

He also said that the state police would establish an integrated toll gate connecting footage of surveillance cameras installed at 55 toll gates and 50 vehicle checkpoints along the state borders at a cost of Rs 9 crore.

Chief Minister said that these toll gates would help to arrest criminals involved in smuggling of drugs and contraband substances and said that drones would be provided to the police for monitoring vehicle movements.