The Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Police have registered 1,738 narcotics-related cases and apprehended 1,787 accused during last five years.
During the period, the 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 Friday that in 2012, a total of 518 cases were registered and 530 accused were arrested while 361 kg hashish, 65 kg heroin and 32 kg opium were recovered.
In 2013, the authorities registered 361 cases, apprehended 376 accused and size 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 while during year 2015, the capital police registered 314 cases with 318 arrests and size of seizure 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 hasish, 13.48 kg heroin and 1.52 kg opium.
Meanwhile, with regards to steps being taken by 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 and destroyed poppy crops in coordination with provincial governments and FATA administration.
The other steps were establishment of Canine Units (sniffer dogs) at each regional directorate (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, North Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan), capacity building of ANF officials and other law enforcement agencies through training and provision of equipment for counter narcotics activities and enrollment of 590 individuals enforcers in the force.
The data said intelligence network of ANF has been expanded inside main cities to locate and hunt smugglers/peddlers while areas around educational institutions were being monitored on regular basis to counter sale of drugs to students by peddlers/suppliers and checking of international arrivals at all airports and checking of domestic flights at Quetta and Peshawar airports.
Other steps included conducting precursors training for all users to have effective precursor control/checking, induction of intelligence software (i2) for assistance in investigation/backtracking, random/surprise checking by ANF special squads at all railway stations, Scope of Port Control Unit (PCU) at Karachi has been expanded while checking of imports at seaports has also commenced despite paucity of resources.
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 standard operating procedure has been formulated and being implemented in letter and spirit while Pre-Export Notification online system is in practice to have check on misuse/diversion of precursors.
When contacted, official sources said ANF was striving hard to control drugs trafficking. Unprecedented and record seizures are indication of ANF’s resolve to combat menace of drugs. Its achievements in seizures of narcotics are appreciated by world the community.
