Tons of narcotics destroyed

ISLAMABAD: The Anti Narcotics Force (ANF) has destroyed a massive quantity of drugs that it had impounded from various parts of the country during the past five years, it was learnt.

These narcotics were seized by the ANF between 2011 and December 2015 during raids carried out in different part of the country.

According to documents available with The Express Tribune, hashish and opium are on top of the list of confiscated drugs.

Documents show that Balochistan topped among all provinces where 492 tons of drugs were seized, followed by Sindh where 111 tons of narcotics were destroyed over the past five years. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa emerged third with 91 tons while just 63 tons of drugs were seized in Punjab.

According to documents, there was a spike in the amount of seized narcotics in 2015 against the seizures in 2014. In 2015, over 261 tons of narcotics were destroyed while more than 123 tons were destroyed in 2014. Similarly, in 2012 and 2013 over 119 tons were destroyed but, in 2011, over 130 tons were destroyed.

Hashish and heroin was the most used drug followed by opium and cocaine.

Up to 306 tons of hashish were seized and destroyed in Balochistan, 118 tons in Sindh, 89 tons in K-P and 40 tons of the drug were destroyed in Punjab.

Interestingly, there is no record of cocaine seizures in any province as only a few cases were reported in Punjab.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 18^th,  2016.