Inspector General of Police (IGP) Punjab Dr. Usman Anwar said on Sunday that the crackdown on drug-dealers, traffickers, and smugglers had been intensified in all districts, including the provincial capital. In one day, 278 raids were conducted on drug dealers hideouts across the province, resulting in the arrest of 152 accused and the registration of 150 cases. Police teams recovered 59 kilograms of charas, 2 kilograms of heroin, and 1,834 liters of liquor from the suspects possession. A Punjab police spokesman said that since the anti-narcotics operations began on February 26, police teams have conducted over 32,000 raids across the province, arresting 15,689 suspects involved in drug trafficking and registering over 15,000 cases. The police have seized over 9,000 kilograms of charas, 157 kilograms of heroin, 267 kilograms of opium, 44 kilograms of ice, and 1,671,389 liters of liquor from the suspects possession. IG Punjab directed the RPOs and DPOs to personally supervise anti-narcotics operations and emphasized accelerating operations against suspects involved in hotspot areas and online drug trade. He also instructed that intelligence-based targeted operations around educational institutions and hostels be intensified. Additionally, he stressed the importance of collaborating with other govt. departments to apprehend and ensure strict penalties for those involved in inter-provincial drug smuggling. During a meeting with SHOs of Jhang Bazaar, Gulberg, Ghulam Muhammad Abad, Batala Colony and Chak Jhumra police stations, he said that it was the first and foremost duty of the police to provide full safety and security to the lives and properties of the masses.
