Lahore Police Arrest More Than 11,500 Drug Peddlers in Year-Long Crackdown

By Dr Ansab Ali
Lahore, Pakistan
LAHORE: Lahore Police have arrested more than 11,500 drug peddlers and registered over 11,000 cases in a year-long anti-narcotics drive aimed at curbing the spread of drugs in the provincial capital, police officials said on Monday.
According to a police spokesperson, a total of 11,573 suspects were arrested and 11,294 cases were registered during operations carried out over the past year. Authorities recovered large quantities of narcotics, including 5,355 kilograms of hashish, 1,158 kilograms of crystal meth (ice), 577 kilograms of heroin, 315 kilograms of opium, and 63,973 litres of liquor.
Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Lahore Bilal Siddique Kamyana said the police remained committed to eliminating drugs from the city, describing drug dealers as a serious threat to society who deserved no leniency.
He stressed that protecting the younger generation from drug abuse was a shared responsibility and vowed that all individuals involved in the drug supply chain would be pursued and dealt with strictly under the law. The CCPO also called on parents, teachers and civil society to play a proactive role in keeping youth away from narcotics.