Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered to confiscate the properties of those found involved in illicit liquor and drugs trade and put up their posters in public places, an official said Tuesday.

While reviewing the campaign against illicit liquor and narcotics, Adityanath said involvement in such trade should be seen as a national crime, not just a criminal offence and ordered concerned officials to take strict action against such people.

Following CM's order, the state government has set up an 'Anti Narcotics Task Force' (ANTF) to check drug trafficking, a spokesman said.

According to a statement issued by Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar, ANTF would be supervised by Additional Director General of Police (Crime).

In the first phase, Narcotics Police Stations would be established in Barabanki and Ghazipur districts, the statement said, adding that officers from agencies like Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Central Bureau of Narcotics (CBN), Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) etc will be taken on deputation in ANTF.

ANTF will get all the powers related to search, seizure, arrest and investigation against criminals and mafia involved in the drug trade and can investigate by registering FIR against criminals in any police station within its jurisdiction.

It will be divided into three zones in Uttar Pradesh- Eastern, Western and Central Zone.

At the Headquarters level, the task force will be headed by a Deputy Inspector General of Police level officer with the support of the Superintendent of Police (Operations) and the Superintendent of Police (Headquarters) will be appointed, the statement said.

"Action to confiscate the property of the identified criminals should be started and their posters should be put up in public places so that such criminals, who are committing crimes against the nation, can be taught a lesson in society," the spokesman said quoting the CM.

In the first phase of the campaign, 785 accused have been arrested while narcotics worth more than Rs 5.50 crore have been seized in raids that were carried out in 342 hookah bars at 4,338 places across the state, the official said.

The drive has been launched to save the youth of the state from drug addiction, he added.