Five suspected drug peddlers, three arms smugglers held

The Sindh Rangers personnel have arrested five suspected drug peddlers and three arms smugglers in raids conducted in different parts of Karachi, the spokesman for the paramilitary force said on Tuesday.

He said soldiers along with officials of the Anti-Narcotics Force conducted raids in Landhi, Janjaal Goth, Khokharapar and Malir areas and took into custody five drug trafficking suspects.

Sixty-nine kilograms of narcotics were said to have been seized from the possession of the suspects, identified as Rao Nadeem Ali, Muhammad Owais alias Mama, Yaseen, Amanullah and Kamal Afsar.

“The public is urged to immediately report such elements to the nearest Rangers check post, Rangers Helpline 1101 or Rangers Helper WhatsApp number 03479001111 by calling or through an SMS. Your name will be kept confidential,” said a statement issued by the Rangers.

The spokesman said Rangers personnel and police, in a joint operation conducted on the basis of intelligence information, arrested three men -- Ataullah, Irfan and Fayyaz – in Orangi Town for being operatives of an inter-provincial arms smuggling gang. Eleven pistols, 22 magazines and one weapon punch tool were seized from their possession.

During the preliminary interrogation, the three admitted that they used social media platforms to sell arms to people. Earlier, a consignment of arms of the suspects had been seized near the Peshawar Motorway Interchange. The suspects were said to be habitual offenders and had been jailed several times in the past.