KARACHI: Sindh police have announced what officials describe as the largest anti-narcotics operation in the province’s history, seizing more than half a ton of drugs and arresting multiple suspects linked to an alleged inter-provincial trafficking network.
The Special Investigation Unit (SIU) carried out coordinated operations in Gulistan-e-Jauhar and Pak Colony, recovering 508 kilograms of narcotics. In this regard, the government institutions estimate the value of the seized drugs at approximately Rs280 million in the international market.
A total of 14 suspects were taken into custody, with officials stating that several of them are believed to have ties to Balochistan.
Sindh Home Minister Zia-ul-Hasan Lanjar said that the operation indicates a vital breakthrough in efforts to dismantle major trafficking groups operating in the region. He confirmed that 50 kilograms of narcotics were recovered from the residence of a key suspect, Saifur Rehman alias Pappu.
Furthermore, the home minister stated that Javed Rasheed, an AETO within the Excise Department, was subsequently detained during the extended operation. Officials recovered an additional 10 kilograms of crystal meth and hashish from his home.
Rasheed’s arrest has raised serious concerns about alleged internal facilitation within government ranks.
In this sense, further inquiries revealed that 28 personnel of the Excise Department were found to be involved in narcotics trafficking activities. All individuals identified through the investigation have since been dismissed from service.
Meanwhile, Minister Lanjar added that a total of 56 people have so far been arrested in various operations linked to this network, including several government employees.
He confirmed the provincial government’s commitment to continuing large-scale actions against organized drug trafficking.
Police officials focused on the fact that the recent seizures reflect a strengthened provincial strategy against narcotics distribution, combining intelligence-based operations with inter-agency cooperation.
They noted that further arrests and recoveries are expected as investigations progress.
On the contrary, the tragic death of a child occurred in Karachi after the protest erupted across the city.
The government reasserted its stance that no individual or group involved in the illegal drug trade will be exempt from legal action, regardless of their position or affiliation.
