LARKANA, Jan 16: Police and Rangers in a joint operation in the Madbahoo village, 30 kilometres off here, on Sunday rounded up more than 168 people. They are said to be drug traffickers, proclaimed offenders and absconders.

DPO Muzaffar Ali Shaikh told this correspondent that the arrests were made in the predawn search operation in the Bakrani police station jurisdiction without any resistance.

He said so far 15 of the arrested people had been identified as absconders, proclaimed offenders and drug traffickers. He said six rifles, 26 single and double barrel guns, seven repeaters, three pistols and 12 robbed motorcycles were also recovered in the operation which lasted for eight hours.

The DPO said people who were found innocent during interrogation would be released and cases would be registered against those who possessed unlicensed arms. The arrested villagers have been detained at the Bakrani police station where an identification parade was continuing till the filing of this report.