Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Police have registered 1,738 narcotics-related cases and apprehended 1,787 accused during the last five years.
During the period, capital police also seized 1,965 kg hashish, 165 kg heroin and 74 kg opium.
A year-wise break-up of five years showed on Sunday that in 2012, a total 518 cases were registered and 530 accused were arrested, while recovery of drugs was 361 kg hashish, 65 kg heroin and 32 kg opium.
In 2013, the authorities registered 361 cases, apprehended 376 accused and a number of recovered drugs was 824 kg hashish, 30 kg heroin and 36 kg opium.
Similarly, the year 2014 witnessed registration of 318 cases and 327 arrests and recovery size was 239 kg hashish, 24 kg heroin and 0.745 kg opium, whereas, during the year 2015, capital police registered 314 cases with 318 arrests and the size of seized drugs included 390 kg hashish, 32 kg heroin and 3.48 kg opium.
The authorities concerned registered 227 cases in 2016 so far and nabbed 236 accused, besides seizing 151 kg hashish, 13.48 kg heroin and 1.52 kg opium.
Meanwhile, with regards to steps being taken by the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) to control smuggling of narcotics in the country, the data revealed that the number of ANF police stations have been increased from 25 to 29 while deployment of ANF personnel have been made at all international airports, seaports and dry ports to counter narcotics trafficking through passengers and goods.
The ANF launched a crackdown against drug peddlers, destroyed poppy crops in coordination with provincial governments and FATA administration.
The other steps were the establishment of canine units (sniffer dogs) at each regional directorate, capacity building of ANF officials and other law enforcement agencies (LEAs) through training and provision of equipment for counternarcotics activities and enrollment of 590 individual enforcers in the force.
The data said intelligence network of ANF has been expanded inside the main cities to locate and hunt smugglers/peddlers. Areas around educational institutions were being monitored on a regular basis to stop the sale of drugs to students by suppliers and checking of international arrivals at all airports.
The use of CCTV cameras has been introduced for effective profiling of passengers at all airports.
Regional directorates of ANF have also been directed to take stringent measures to monitor trafficking and use of synthetic drugs.
With regard to diversion of precursors for manufacturing of narcotics drugs, an elaborate SOP has been formulated and being implemented in letter and spirit while Pre-Export Notification (PEN) online system is in practice to have a check on misuse/diversion of precursors.
When contacted official sources said ANF was striving hard to control drugs trafficking. Unprecedented and record seizures are an indication of ANF’s resolve to combat the menace of drugs, they maintained.