Lahore: In alignment with Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s Drug-Free Punjab Vision, Punjab Police have intensified their crackdown on drug trafficking across the province, carrying out extensive raids and arrests to curb the drug menace.

According to Punjab Police, IG Punjab Dr. Usman Anwar reported that on a single day, police teams conducted 259 raids on drug dealers’ hideouts, leading to the arrest of 125 suspects and the registration of 124 cases. Authorities seized 54 kilograms of charas, 1 kilogram of heroin, and 1,349 liters of alcohol during these operations.

The ongoing campaign, initiated on February 26, has resulted in over 41,000 raids, with 19,068 cases registered and 19,596 suspects arrested. The police have confiscated significant quantities of drugs including 11,610 kilograms of charas, 63 kilograms of ice, 216 kilograms of heroin, 294 kilograms of opium, and over 1.7 million liters of alcohol. Dr. Anwar has directed Regional Police Officers (RPOs) and District Police Officers (DPOs) to enhance intelligence-based operations against drug dealers and smugglers, with a particular focus on habitual criminals, hot-spot areas, and online drug trafficking. He also emphasized the importance of regular search and combing operations around educational institutions to protect young individuals from drug exposure.