Chandigarh, Aug. 13 -- Over 5,000 drug related cases were registered in a year after the launch of Safe Punjab WhatsApp chatbot, where people could provide information and tips on drug peddlers and hotspots, Punjab finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema said on Tuesday. The WhatsApp chatbot portal, launched by chief minister Bhagwant Mann in August 2024, achieved a commendable conversion rate of 32%, Cheema said at a press conference here. It helped in transforming public input into concrete police action, said Cheema, who also serves as chairman of the anti-drug drive "Yudh Nashian Virudh" cabinet sub-committee. The minister said that the portal has been instrumental in registration of over 5,000 FIRs in a year. The chatbot, accessible at 97791-00200, has positioned the 'Safe Punjab' portal as one of the nation's most effective public portals for police engagement, he added "The portal has become a vital source of intelligence and a potent weapon in the campaign against drugs, which was officially initiated on March 1 this year to intensify the state's efforts against drug trafficking," he added. Cheema said that since its inception of the campaign, a total of 16,322 cases have been registered under the NDPS Act, leading to the arrest of 25,552 individuals. He said that the state government has also taken decisive action against drug smugglers by demolishing 182 of their illegal properties. He said these efforts have resulted in major drug seizures, including 1,054 kg of heroin, 21,534 kg of poppy husk, 366 kg of opium, and over three million tablets, capsules, and pills. The minister also criticised the previous SAD-BJP alliance, accusing it of patronising the narcotics trade for a decade, and also pointed out the failure of the subsequent Congress government to take strong action against the drug menace between 2017 and 2022....