Dozens of suspects held as crackdown on drug dealers begins

HYDERABAD: A crackdown has been initiated on drug dealers in various districts if Sindh. During the operation against drug dealers in Hyderabad, an exchange of fire took place between police and drug peddlers within the Hali Road police station’s limits.

As a result of the shootout, a suspect, Iqbal Shah, was killed on the spot. He was allegedly a major supplier of crystal, ice and other drugs. Hyderabad SSP Amjad Sheikh said Shah was wanted by the police in nine serious cases and the police seized 700 grammes of ice, five kilogrammes of hashish and weapons from his possession.

The Hyderabad police also arrested 12 suspects in various operations and seized a huge quantity of mainpuri and liquor from their possession. The Thatta police have also started a crackdown on drug dealers, habitual criminals and those involved in the manufacturing and sale of gutka and mainpuri. During the operation, the Thatta police have so far arrested 21 suspects and registered cases against them.

Fourteen of the arrested men are allegedly involved in the supply of Indian gutka or raw material for manufacturing gutka. The other seven suspects are allegedly narcotics dealers. The Sujawal police also conducted operations against drug dealers and destroyed apparatus for making gutka and liquor. The Sujawal police arrested 10 suspects, and seized 400 litres of liquor, 2,000 grammes of hashish, and five kilogrammes of unpackaged gutka.

Sindh Senior Minister for Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Sharjeel Inam Memon has said the Sindh government is determined to eradicate drugs and narcotics dealers cannot be allowed to play with the lives of the future generations of the country.

A high-level emergency meeting for drug prevention was held at the Shehbaz Building in Hyderabad on the second day of Eid. It was presided by Memon The minister said that in order to keep the young generation away from the scourge of drugs, all possible measures should be taken to suppress drugs dealing.

He said the growing trend of ice and other drugs in educational institutions was alarming and joint actions should be taken against it. Memon was of the view that the investigation process should be strengthened so that the supply chain of drugs could be broken. He said the situation should be improved in a few days.

Hyderabad DIG Tariq Dharejo informed the meeting about the action against drug dealers. Excise Secretary Salim Rajput and Information Secretary Nadeem Memon also participated in the meeting.