📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / The Hermitage
Crime
Punjab's drug market: 36,000 outlets, only 51 officials, hiring frozen for six years
✍️ Amar Ujala · Punjab
🗓 19 Oct 2026, 10:01 AM
👁 17
A recent report shows that Punjab’s illicit drug market operates through more than 36,000 retail and wholesale outlets, but the state has just 51 drug control officers, with no new hires in six years.
Punjab’s drug trade has expanded to a network of over 36,000 retail and wholesale outlets across the state, according to data cited by Amar Ujala. The sheer number of sellers highlights the scale of the illicit market that supplies narcotics to consumers in both urban and rural areas.
Despite this extensive network, the Punjab Drug Control Department employs only 51 officers to monitor, inspect and enforce regulations. The department’s staffing level has remained unchanged for six years, as no new recruitment drives have been conducted during that period.
Officials and analysts warn that the mismatch between the size of the market and the limited supervisory capacity could hamper effective enforcement and increase the risk of drug-related crimes. The report calls for an urgent review of staffing norms and a resumption of recruitment to strengthen oversight.
Despite this extensive network, the Punjab Drug Control Department employs only 51 officers to monitor, inspect and enforce regulations. The department’s staffing level has remained unchanged for six years, as no new recruitment drives have been conducted during that period.
Officials and analysts warn that the mismatch between the size of the market and the limited supervisory capacity could hamper effective enforcement and increase the risk of drug-related crimes. The report calls for an urgent review of staffing norms and a resumption of recruitment to strengthen oversight.