Panchkula, Jan. 3 -- Panchkula police arrested an interstate drug smuggler and recovered nearly 297 gm of heroin, estimated to be worth over Rs.12 lakh in the international market. Acting on specific intelligence regarding a youth transporting a heroin consignment in an i20 car near the Sector 15 vegetable market, a team led by ACP Kamboj and supervised by crime branch in-charge Dalip Singh, conducted a raid to apprehend the suspect. The accused has been identified as Vijay Kumar, a native of the Haridwar district in Uttarakhand, who was residing in a rented accommodation in Zirakpur. He was allegedly supplying drugs across the Tricity region. The accused was produced before a court and has been remanded to three days of police custody to help investigators identify the source of the contraband and the wider supply network. In 2025, the police registered 124 cases under the NDPS Act and arrested 255 drug traffickers, an increase from 118 cases and 208 arrests in 2024. Last year, police seized approximately 246 kg of poppy husk, over 13 kg of opium, 1.93 kg of heroin, more than 17 kg of charas, and 20,410 intoxicant tablets. In comparison, 2024 seizures included 33 kg of poppy husk, 4.5 kg of opium, 996 grams of heroin, and over 4 kg of charas. Additionally, in 2025, illegal properties belonging to six drug traffickers were demolished, compared to two such actions in 2024. The properties of four other traffickers were also attached during the year. Panchkula police recently destroyed drugs worth nearly Rs.6 crore at a facility in Bagwala. The destroyed contraband, seized across 123 cases, included 68 kg of ganja, 108 kg of poppy husk, 9 kg of opium plants, 3 kg of opium, 2.8 kg of charas, 654 grams of heroin, 0.7 grams of cocaine, and 54,882 intoxicant tablets....