Police teams formed to curb sale of gutka, mawa, other narcotics

Police teams have been formed at range and district levels across the province to fight criminal activities, particularly the manufacturing and sale of gutka, mawa, manpuri and other narcotic substances.

The development came a few days after Sindh police chief Ghulam Nabi Memon conducted a review meeting on the overall law and order situation and ordered the formation of an anti-narcotics committee.

After the meeting, Karachi’s Additional Inspector General of Police and the DIGs of Hyderabad, Sukkur and others regions were directed to immediately form committees and submit reports on a daily basis to the IGP office.

According to officials, Karachi Additional IG Javed Alam Odho has said that to curb the menace of manufacturing, storage, sale and use of gutka, mawa, manpuri and other narcotics have been declared prohibited items through the Sindh Prohibition Preparation, Manufacturing, Storage, Sale, and Use of Gutka and Manpuri Act 2019 and the control of Narcotics Substance (Sindh Amendment) Act, 2021, a provincial task force was constituted.

The Provincial Task force of Karachi Range was directed to act against gutka, manpuri and other narcotics, and the following range teams (RTS) are being constituted with immediate effect: DIG Lt. Imran Yaqoob as chairman while the members are SSP Faisal Abdullah Chachar, SSP Abdul Rahim Sherazi, SSP Arif Aslam Rao, SSP Ali Raza, SSP Saqib Ibrahim, SP Abraiz Abbasi, ASP Mirza Bilal Hassan, ASP Jahandad Akram, ASP Zafar Siddique and ASP Ahmed Faisal Chaudhry.

The chairman of the committee is presently posted as DIG/Admin Karachi Range, while the members are from Principal S.H.P.T.C. Saeedabad), SSP AVCC, Special Branch, SSP RRF Naval Base, SSP RRF Al-Falah Base and Investigation-III, District Korangi.

Officials said IGP Memon was also informed about the performance of the Sindh Police against crime from March 20 till date. According to the report, 122 police encounters took place in different police station limits across Sindh. In these encounters, 13 robbers were killed, 106 criminal gangs were eliminated, and 95 robbers injured in police encounters were arrested. A total of 442 dacoits were arrested, including one notified dacoit.

According to the report, in six police encounters in South Range, 11 criminal gangs were eliminated, one dacoit was killed, 26 dacoits were arrested and seven injured. In East Range’s 31 police encounters, 35 criminal gangs were eliminated, six dacoits were killed, 191 dacoits were arrested and 41 were arrested with injuries.

In West Range, in 15 police encounters, 12 criminal gangs were eliminated, 95 dacoits were arrested, 15 of them with injuries. Moreover, in 17 police encounters in Hyderabad Range, 21 criminal gangs were eliminated, one was dacoit killed, and 47 dacoits were arrested, 12 of them with injuries. In Mirpurkhas Range, in two police encounters, four criminal gangs were eliminated, and 14 dacoits were arrested. In Shaheed Benazirabad Range, one criminal gang was eliminated and eight dacoits were arrested in two police encounters.

In Sukkur Range, 11 criminal gangs were eliminated, three dacoits were killed, and 26 dacoits were arrested, 11 of them with injuries, in 25 police encounters. In 24 police encounters in Larkana Range, 11 criminal gangs were eliminated, two dacoits were killed, and 35 dacoits were arrested, with nine of them in an injured condition, while one notified dacoit was also arrested.

Officials said that afterwards the Additional IG Odho conducted a high-level meeting at the Karachi Police Office (KPO). The meeting was attended by the range DIGs, DIG CIA, district SSPs, SSPs Investigation and other senior officers. The three range DIGs briefed the Karachi police chief about the performance of the current year in their zones.

Odho also considered the situation of crime, police action against absconding and proclaimed offenders and criminal elements while ordering preparing a coordinated and concrete strategy for strict action.

He issued instructions to take strict measures, especially against street crime, drugs, gambling and other crime activities, including gutka and mava. He directed the investigating officers to ensure immediate arrest of the accused named in important cases and make the process of identification parades an integral part.

Odho directed the officers to immediately summon a team of the crime scene unit to the spot so that valuable evidence could be saved and the investigation of cases could be improved. He also ordered using all possible means to ensure the safety of the life and property of the people.