Chandigarh, March 10 -- Finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Monday said that the state government will not allow anyone to use 'drug money' to build mansions in the state.

Replying to Payal MLA Manwinder Singh Giaspura's query regarding the outcomes of the 'Yudh Nashian Virudh' during question hour, Cheema said the government was hitting the cartels where it hurt them the most - their finances. He added that Punjab Police had recovered Rs.17 crore in direct drug money, and more importantly, arrested 65 major operators, effectively dismantling illicit hawala networks in the region.

Detailing the action against drug trafficking, Cheema said that from March 1, 2025, to February 28, 2026, police registered 36,178 FIRs under the Narcotic...