1077 drug peddlers arrested

Islamabad : Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) has registered 902 cases and nabbed 1077 accused involved in drug trafficking during the current year.

Of the total arrested accused, 830 were given punishments, hence, registering 95 per cent successful conviction rate.

The data, enumerating professional performance of ANF during this year, on Sunday revealed that the force during numerous operations across the country seized 4143.96-kg opium, 1572-kg morphine, 3481.242-kg heroin, 45120.438-kg hashish, 2.492-kg cocaine, 1621.349-kg amphetamine, 45.673-kg methamphetamine, 1.543-kg ecstasy tablets, 92.37-kg xanax tablets, 71.400-kg pranax tablets, 57.027-kg cannabis, 8-kg poppy straw and precursor chemical comprising 4283 litres acetic anhydride, 3700 litres sulphuric acid, 450 litres hydrochloric acid, 6977 litres acetone, 114 litres ketamine and 65-kg crystals. Further, this year ANF has also frozen assets worth Rs39.265 million.

During this year, ANF, under the leadership of Director General (DG), Major General Musarrat Nawaz Malik, has undertaken 331 drug abuse prevention and awareness raising activities throughout the country. Moreover, regarding drug treatment facilities, it has been revealed that in addition to already established three Model Addiction Treatment & Rehabilitation Centres (MATRCs) at Islamabad, Quetta and Karachi, the force has established a 50-bedded Female and Juvenile Ward (25 beds for women and 25 for children) at existing MATRC Karachi and a 25 bedded MATRC Sukkur has also started functioning.

The ANF has provided free drug treatment to 914 drug addicts at its Drug Treatment Centres in year 2018, while up-gradation of ANF Balochistan is continuing in respect of deployment, intelligence ability, technical capability and mobility with special focus on Gwadar in view of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Meanwhile, when contacted, official sources said recent inauguration of China-Pakistan Joint Border Liaison Office (BLO) at Sost Border is a great achievement, which will help both the countries in countering border smuggling and sharing of experiences.

The sources said menace of drugs was one of the most damaging and life crippling threat for society and ANF was striving for its absolute elimination to achieve goal of ‘Drug-Free Society.’ “The ANF is continuously launching "Anti-Drug Drives" in major cities with special focus on educational institutions.