RAWALPINDI: The Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) has said that it has arrested 36 drug suppliers, including those suspected of supplying drugs to educational institutions in various parts of the country.

The ANF said it arrested a drug supplier from Attock, and recovered 500gms of hashish from his possession.

According to an investigation by the ANF, the suspect was involved in supplying drugs to students at Comsats University, including other educational institutions. In his confession, he also named an accomplice from whose possession 300gms of hashish was recovered when he was arrested.

Another drug peddler was arrested near the FG Boys High School G-8/4, and 125gms of hashish from recovered from him.

The ANF has launched an anti-drugs drive with a focus on educational institutions and young people, and has arrested 36 drug supplies during 32 crackdowns, and recovered 15.3 kilograms of drugs.

The operations were carried out in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Attock, Mianwali, Jhelum, Layyah, Multan, Faisalabad, Lahore, Sialkot, Narowal, Peshawar, Mansehra, Hyderabad and Karachi.

A press release issued by the said its personnel in Rawalpindi conducted nine operations, arrested 12 suspected drug peddlers and recovered 3.2 kilograms of drugs. An Attock resident was among those arrested at the main gate of the Asfand Yar Bukhari Shaeed Railway Park, and 600gms of hashish was recovered from his possession.

ANF Rawalpindi also recovered 250gms of heroin from a Rawalpindi resident who was arrested at near Choa Khalsa in Kalar Syedan, Rawalpindi.

In another operation, the ANF recovered 200gms of heroin from Danish Masish who was arrested near the Mirza village in Attock. A man and a woman were arrested near Aksana College on Main Road, Gulzar-i-Quaid and 250gms of hashish was recovered from them.

In addition 500gms of heroin and 250gms of hashish were recovered from two suspects arrested near the Islamia Government School in Waris Khan, Rawalpindi.

The ANF also recovered 130gms of heroin from a local drug peddler arrested from Alipur Farash in Islamabad, in a separate operation, while ANF Rawalpindi arrested an individual who was riding a motorcycle near the Dina bus stop on the GT Road near Jhelum, and recovered 170gms hashish from his possession.

Published in Dawn, November 23rd, 2016