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Lahore, Following directives from Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif, Punjab Police have escalated their efforts against the drug trade, significantly ramping up operations across the province as part of the Drug Free Punjab campaign.
According to Punjab Police, IG Punjab Dr. Usman Anwar reported that in the last 24 hours alone, police conducted over 300 raids on suspected drug dealers’ hideouts, leading to 122 cases being registered and 125 arrests. The operations resulted in the seizure of 52 kilograms of charas and 1,346 liters of liquor. Since the campaign’s inception on February 26, police efforts have intensified, with 17,251 raids conducted, 8,142 cases registered against drug traffickers, and 8,631 arrests. Authorities have confiscated substantial quantities of narcotics, including 5,497 kg of charas, 97 kg of heroin, 216 kg of opium, 27 kg of Ice, and 108,183 liters of liquor.
IG Anwar has issued orders to intensify the campaign further, targeting major drug traffickers involved in inter-provincial operations and ensuring coordination with the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) and other governmental agencies. He emphasized the importance of dismantling the entire supply chain, from street-level dealers to the kingpins, to protect the youth from drug abuse.
The ongoing efforts underscore the provincial government’s commitment to eradicating drug trafficking and its pernicious impact on society.