3 min read
Karachi: The drug trade in Karachi continues to make headlines, with shocking revelations made by Sahir Hasan, the son of TV star Sajid Hasan. According to Sahir, college and university students in the port city are increasingly turning to mobile applications like Snapchat to order narcotics, leading to a surge in drug use among youth.
Sahir Hasan, currently in police custody in connection with the high-profile murder case of 23-year-old Mustafa Aamir, made the startling claims during questioning. He told police that students are using apps to order drugs, which are then delivered to specific locations, often within educational institutions.
Sahir, however, denied being directly involved in supplying narcotics to students, clarifying that it is the students themselves who place orders. He disclosed that the initiation of drug use among students occurred when several members began placing online orders for marijuana. Subsequent to its initial dissemination across university campuses, substance abuse became prevalent. According to Sahir, students are now utilising smartphones to place discreet narcotics orders without any complications.
In Karachi, the authorities target two primary organisations that are responsible for drug smuggling in order to implement organised enforcement against narcotics trafficking. One operation is responsible for the importation of California drugs, which operates independently of an Iranian narcotics distribution network. According to law enforcement officers, the proliferation of smartphone applications has made it more challenging to monitor narcotic transactions.
The Defence area apprehension of Sahir Hasan, along with three other suspects, made significant progress in the police investigation into the narcotics trade. Sahir generated Rs 1.5 million per week from his illicit drug operation on Snapchat over the past two years.
“Its wrong to assume that we go to educational institutions to sell drugs. Instead, students place orders through an online mobile app, and deliveries are made to specific locations,” Sahir explained, describing the drug distribution system as highly organized. He also revealed that dealers first befriend students and introduce them to marijuana. “Initially, only a few students buy, but within months, the number of buyers increases significantly,” he added.
SSP Shoaib Memon confirmed that two major weed supply groups operate in Karachi. “One group smuggles weed illegally from California, while the other sells Iranian weed,” Memon stated. Following the dismantling of the network involving Mustafa Aamir and Sahir Hasan, he confirmed that “50 percent of weed sales in the city have stopped, making it less accessible to users.”
The law enforcement operation resulted in the disappearance of 20 key narcotics dealers. Local law enforcement organisations have made it their primary goal to weaken the Iranian weed group. SSP Memon confirmed that none of the accused persons have escaped from Pakistan.
Sahir accepted responsibility for purchasing medications worth millions of rupees through courier services, sending four to five lakh rupees per week. His father’s hired manager received drug payment transfers into his bank account. Sahir Hasan told police that he began using marijuana 13 years ago and had worked as a model for five years in a row.
The dark web enabled Sahir Hasan and Mustafa Aamir to become top drug sellers in Karachi. Forensic analysts determined that these two males were actively involved in the illegal drug operations that expanded throughout the city.
These disturbing revelations have prompted authorities to intensify their efforts to dismantle the large-scale drug trade in Karachi, with a focus on tackling the role of mobile apps and the growing use of technology in facilitating drug transactions.
