LAHORE   -   On the instructions of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the Drug-Free Punjab campaign continues with a rigorous crackdown by the Punjab police.

 Police operations against drug dealers, smugglers, and their hideouts have intensified across the province, including Lahore. In one day, 289 raids were conducted on drug dens, resulting in the arrest of 141 suspects and the registration of 135 cases. Seized drugs included 50 kilograms of charas, 1 kilogram of heroin, half a kilogram of ice (crystal meth), and 1,563 liters of liquor.

2A Punjab police spokesman said that since the anti-narcotics operations began on February 26, police teams have conducted 33,572 raids across the province. These operations have led to the arrest of over 16,000 suspects and the registration of 15,693 cases. The confiscated items include 9,366 kilograms of charas,162 kilograms of heroin, 269 kilograms of opium, over 45 kilograms of ice, and more than 1,677,000 liters of liquor. The IG Punjab has instructed supervisory officers to intensify anti-drug operations, particularly targeting those poisoning educational institutions with drugs.

He emphasized targeted operations against suspects involved in online drug business and stressed the importance of apprehending and severely punishing those involved in inter-provincial smuggling.