Narcotics on campus: ANF nabs suspected drug peddler

He allegedly supplied marijuana, LSD to students

ISLAMABAD: The Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) on Friday claimed to have arrested a man who was allegedly involved in providing drugs to students of educational institutes in the twin cities.

Addressing a press conference on Friday, ANF Force Commander in Rawalpindi Hammad Ahmed Dogar said that they had launched a campaign to apprehend drug peddlers supplying drugs to educational institutions on the directions of ANF director general.

In this regard, the ANF’s intelligence unit had deployed special surveillance teams as well as informers to monitor activities of the gangs involved in supplying these drugs.

Dogar added that the after keeping the suspect, Waheed Ali, under surveillance for over three weeks, they finally apprehended red-handed.

He added that they had recovered 27 tokens of weed and 32 stamps of LSD - worth Rs153,100 – from Ali’s possession. A token of weed is worth around Rs3,300 and a stamp of LSD is sold for Rs2,000.

Interestingly, the ANF said that the amount of drugs recovered, Ali used to sell within a week’s time. He added that they had also traced some drug addicts on campus, but said that they were trying to give them a chance to seek medical treatment.

Dogar added that in December 2016, the ANF had conducted six operations and arrested 11 drug suppliers as a result.

Asked whether those facilitating drug use on campus had been booked, Dogar said they were still contemplating whether to register cases against them.

He added that the ANF was working to check the anomalies which provide space to drug peddlers to operate in educational institutions unchecked.

In this regard, Dogar said that they had contacted some institutions and gave them suggestions for taking administrative action.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 7^th, 2017.