ANF busts 5-member gang of drug dealers

Rawalpindi
The Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF), in crackdown against drug pushers linked with international drug mafia, has arrested five members of a gang of narcotics dealers and recovered heavy consignment of drugs from their custody, the ANF said Tuesday.
The ANF has been receiving information through different sources regarding increased heroin trafficking to gulf countries. ANF deployed its sources to identify the international drug gang involved.
In 2014, ANF got information regarding a KPK based drug gang headed by Aqal Khan, involved in trafficking to Middle East. ANF got mobile numbers used by Aqal Khan. Investigations confirmed that Aqal Khan is involved in drug trafficking to West Africa & Middle East.
A dedicated team of ANF started developing the operation through field investigations and technical/physical surveillance. A year-long investigation resulted in gathering of valuable information on Aqal Khan and shared the same with counterparts to unearth further links in Middle East. The analysis of intelligence revealed that Aqal is not only involved in smuggling of heroin but also transacts drug money through Hawala at a large scale. His other important associates in Pakistan and various linkages in Afghanistan and Africa were also identified. Four key associates of Aqal based in Pakistan were identified as Younas, Ijaz Khan, Haji Khyber and Haji Murad.
According to details, Younas is a Peshawar based close associate of Aqal Khan and runs a Godown of T-Iron, Iron Sheets and Bamboos at Ring Road, Peshawar, along with his brother Luqman. He brings heroin from Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan, through one Sultan, a truck driver, under the garb of coal. Ijaz Khan is Peshawar based associate of the Ring Leader Aqal Khan, and remains in contact with Younas who provides him with Hawala numbers and addresses in Middle East, which are further shared with Aqal Khan accordingly. Haji Khyber is also Peshawar based trafficker and close associate of Aqal Khan. He remains in contact with Younas and also sends drug carriers to Middle East. While, Haji Murad is Peshawar based trafficker, who is involved in sending drug consignments to Middle East.
On 21 April 2015 an Interpol Red Notice was received to ANF against Aqal Khan. ANF was requested to assist in apprehending him for extradition. ANF intensified its efforts to track down Aqal Khan and managed to place its sources to gather actionable intelligence. Efforts got productive when ANF received information that Aqal and his associates would deliver drugs from Peshawar to Rawalpindi for further transportation to Middle East. After continues surveillance/observations for 3 days, ANF identified a suspected car for transportation of drugs.
On 16-06-2015, ANF operational team conducted a successful operation and intercepted a Tayota Car at Jhangi Syedan, Rawalpindi. During search, 10 kilogram of heroin was recovered from the said car and Aqal Khan, son of Yar Khan; Younis, son of Khan Haider, and Ghilaf Gul, son of Hiran Khan hailing from Khyber Agency and Muhammad Arshad, son of Fazal Naeem resident of Peshawar and Ghilaf Gull were arrested on the spot.