Deputy Inspector General of Police (Operations) Ashfaq Khan claimed on Wednesday to have arrested almost 700 "drug peddlers" from the surroundings of educational institutes during its ongoing operation against narcotics sellers.

"On the directions of CM Usman Buzdar, the Lahore police have arrested 701 suspects involved in selling drugs around educational institutions during its ongoing crackdown against such elements," the DIG said while talking to reporters. The senior police officer said they also seized over 240 kilograms of fine quality hashish, 858 grams of heroin, over 400 grams of ICE, over 24 kilograms of opium, 1240 intoxicating capsules, over 11 kilograms of 'Bhang' and 6108 liters of liquor from the accused. "I am personally monitoring the actions taken against the drug peddlers and all divisional SPs have been directed to speed up the crackdown," said the DIG, adding that Lahore police is implementing a zero tolerance policy against the drug peddlers who try to make our youth a victim of narcotics.

Accordingly, 141 cases have been registered at the City Division Police, 128 at Cantt Division, 58 at Civil Lines Division, 144 at Saddar Division, 89 at Iqbal Town Division while Model Town Division Police registered 117 FIRs during the crackdown.

After developing a coordinated mechanism of necessary information sharing, the Lahore police personnel are also conducting joint raids with the help of Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) Punjab on regular basis. Anti-drugs awareness campaigns and lectures are also being delivered in different educational institutions so that the students could be protected from using narcotics, added Ashfaq Khan. He asserted that the motive behind delivering awareness lectures was to make the students, teachers and educational management aware of their basic responsibilities. Requesting the people to cooperate with the police department, the DIG said no police force can achieve its goals without the support of the public.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019