The Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) speeding up its counter-narcotics campaign has recover nearly 6.2 MT of narcotics from urban areas of the country during the last five months. According to an ANF spokesman, counter-narcotics operations were conducted in different parts of the country with a special focus on urban centre sanitization. He said that special combing and intelligence-based operations resulted in substantial seizures from major cities like Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Quetta, Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

He informed that to effectively contain the threat, inter-provincial interdiction rings had been established and major inter-provincial communication arteries were being kept under surveillance.This effort is bearing fruits, wherein an estimated 7.26 MT of narcotics have been seized along motorways and highways, which was destined for major metropolises of the country for local consumption.

In continuation of the countrywide counter-narcotics campaign, ANF carried out an intelligence-based operation near Kala Shah Kaku Toll Plaza on GT Road. During the operation, the mini truck was intercepted, which led to the recovery of a huge cache of narcotics tactfully concealed in the seized vehicle. The driver and two second-seaters, residents of Peshawar, were arrested on the spot. Based on the initial investigation another raid was carried out near Sabzi Mandi, Lahore, he said and informed that during the raid, a Rickshaw was intercepted which further led to the recovery of narcotics concealed in the back of the Rikshaw.

Four accused persons were arrested, two vehicles impounded and 153.400 kgs narcotics were seized, which included 130.800 kgs hashish, 21.600 kgs opium and one kg heroin, he said. The seized narcotics were being smuggled for distribution in major cities of Punjab including Lahore, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Jaranwala and Narowal. The arrested accused persons, along with recovered narcotics and seized vehicles have been shifted to ANF Police Station Lahore, where an FIR has been registered, he added.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-INP