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A case has been filed against a high-ranking official of the Lahore police, who held a leadership role in the city police’s anti-narcotics division, over allegations of participating in cross-border drug trafficking facilitated by drones.
The Deputy Inspector General (Investigation) of Lahore, Imran Kishwar, has verified the “involvement of a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP)” in the matter. The official was charged by the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF).
“We have established a committee composed of senior police officers to further broaden the investigation into the illicit cross-border drug smuggling,” stated DIG Imran Kishwar in a conversation with Dawn.
He added that the committee would be led by Lahore Senior Superintendent of Police Internal Accountability (IAB), Tauqeer Naeem. Additionally, SP Crime Record Officer Aftab Phularwan and a DSP would assist him in the inquiry.
Immediate disciplinary measures have already been launched against the police officer. Further actions will be taken based on the findings of the investigative report.
Insiders suggest that the DSP in question apprehended a suspected drug dealer but allegedly released them after purportedly accepting a bribe.
This issue came to prominence in July of this year when a drone carrying approximately six kilograms of drugs, valued at millions of rupees, crashed in the outskirts of the provincial capital.
Sources indicate that the matter was brought to the attention of the Prime Minister when reports suggested that certain individuals were utilizing drones to transport drugs from Kasur to India.
They also revealed that a network of drug traffickers was utilizing unmanned aerial vehicles to move substantial quantities of methamphetamine, commonly known as “ice,” from Lahore to India.
Sources disclosed that a single drone could transport up to six kilograms of drugs, which would be delivered to a specific location in the Indian Punjab region after crossing the border.
The employment of technology for drug smuggling raised concerns within the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF), as evidenced by recent apprehensions carried out by the force.
A subsequent investigation unveiled that DSP Mazhar Iqbal, who secured interim bail after a case was lodged against him, was also allegedly implicated in the smuggling operation.
Reports suggest that the DSP currently under investigation detained an alleged smuggler named Ahmed and seized around “35kg of heroin” from the suspect.
However, it is alleged that the officer released the suspect after accepting a bribe of Rs75 million (roughly $500,000 USD), along with three vehicles, from the suspect.
The First Information Report (FIR) registered against Ahmed, who was reportedly conducting his drug trade in the Cantt area, only mentioned the seizure of a mere 450 grams of heroin.
The suspect was reportedly re-arrested in an ANF raid after being released by the DSP. Additionally, another key suspect named Fiaz, believed to be a facilitator for the DSP, was apprehended in connection with the cross-border smuggling.
The suspect claimed to be “privately collaborating with the DSP” in the cross-border smuggling of methamphetamine and asserted that this operation had been ongoing for several years.
As per the police, drones would drop drug packages at designated locations in the Indian Punjab before returning.
Officials noted that individuals involved in smuggling on both sides of the border employed “some form of communication to receive notifications about the drug deliveries.” Payments for these drugs were allegedly made in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
After a drug-laden drone crashed in Kahna the previous month, police officials confiscated the drone, handed over the drugs to the ANF, and subsequently closed the case, possibly to avoid controversy.
A similar incident was reported in Narowal, where local police detained five suspects allegedly engaged in cross-border heroin smuggling via drones. During the course of the investigation, police confiscated a control device, eight batteries, and automatic weapons.
The utilization of cutting-edge technology like drones for cross-border drug smuggling highlights the increasingly sophisticated methods employed by criminal networks. This evolving landscape poses a significant challenge to law enforcement agencies, necessitating not only enhanced vigilance but also adaptive strategies to counter these illicit activities. The case involving the senior official from the Lahore police sheds light on the importance of maintaining integrity within law enforcement agencies and ensuring that individuals entrusted with upholding the law are held accountable for their actions. It also underscores the need for international cooperation to combat transnational organized crime, as such operations often span multiple jurisdictions.
