ANF busted 93 drug cartels last year

Islamabad
The Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) has busted 93 drug cartels and recovered huge quantity of narcotics during last year campaign against drug mafia.
ANF Director General Major General Khawar Hanif Wednesday briefed Federal Minister for Interior & Narcotics Control Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan regarding annual performance of ANF at the Punjab House.
He briefed the minister about regional and domestic drug environment and the achievements of the force during past one year. He informed the minister about new initiatives being taken towards prevention, interdiction, seizures, prosecution and drug demand reduction in the country besides efforts being made to rehabilitate the drug-affected people. He also briefed the minister about Pakistan’s contribution and cooperation towards international community in the efforts aimed at making the world safe from the threat of drugs. Besides, DG-ANF also updated the minister on the progress made so far in important cases related to drug trafficking and illicit use of drugs.
ANF DG also briefed the minister about the inquiry that ANF was tasked to conduct in the illegal transfer of drug offenders to Pakistan from Thailand.
Briefing the minister about the achievements of the Force, he said that 2014 was a record year with regards to seizure and busting of drug trafficking inland and internationally. He said that ANF during this period busted 93 drug organisations and arrested kingpins and drug dealers in the country. On international front, the ANF took action against 13 international drug trafficking organisations. He said that ANF seized 260 tons of drugs that included heroin, hashish, opium, synthetic drugs and cocaine etc. He also apprised the minister about various initiative being taken to enhance operational capacity and capability of the force and to enable it to meet the emergent challenges. He said that ANF has devised a new strategy in line with government’s anti-narcotics policy to fight the drug menace.
He said that efforts were afoot to further strengthen technical capability of the force so that it could effectively monitor all entry points including airports, sea-ports and land routes and could check drug trafficking in an effective manner. On rehabilitation of the drug addicts, he informed the minister that Karachi Rehabilitation Centre was being expanded and a new rehabilitation centre was being established for the drug victims. So far 4,000 drug-addicts have been rehabilitated in Rawalpindi, 5000 in Quetta, 3000 in Karachi and 2000 in Adiala Jail, informed DG-ANF.
The interior minister while appreciating the successes and the progress of the organisation observed that the menace of drugs threatened the very fabric of society. The menace of drugs, said the minister, not only threatens the future of our generations but also caused bad name to the country. He stressed upon the need for greater efforts towards taking all preventive measures including interdiction, seizures and effective prosecution of the drug dealers. The minister in particular appreciated the passion and the commitment with which DG-ANF was carrying out his responsibilities in the larger national interests.
Discussing regional drug situation, the interior minister said that Pakistan itself is a victim of regional drug environment and there was need to make greater efforts towards projecting our successes against drug mafias and drug cartel and making this region free from drugs on the international front. The minister said that drug money has remained a major financial source for terrorists activities in the country and all efforts should be made to cut the financial backbone of the terrorists.
The minister expressed the hope that various initiatives being taken by the leadership of the force would contribute significantly towards boosting the moral of the Force and enabling it to perform its core functions in a more effective manner. The Minister assured his every possible support to the organisation towards overcoming the challenges that it faces in pursuit of its professional duties.