NET busts 15 drug factories in Peshawar, Khyber

PESHAWAR: Some of the top drug dealers were held in Khyber and Peshawar since the launch of the Narcotics Eradication Team (NET) that has busted 15 factories and recovered huge quantities of ice (meth) and heroin in the last one month.

The NET and police have launched the crackdown on the drug dealers and factories in Peshawar, Khyber and other districts after reports of increase in sale and smuggling of narcotics across the country.

Along with the NET, the local police in the two districts have also busted some major gangs and recovered huge quantities of drugs.

“The police in Khyber have busted 15 drug factories in various parts of the district and recovered 51.2 kg ice and160 kg of heroin. Besides, 165 kg of chemicals being used in manufacturing of drugs was also recovered during the last two weeks,” District Police Officer Khyber Waseem Riaz told The News.

An official said that NET had busted three factories producing ice and heroin in Peshawar and recovered 20 kg ice as well as over 50 KG heroin. One factory was busted in Gulbahar while two were unearthed in Pishtakhara. “Since the launch of NET on July 7, the team has recovered 70 kg ice and 141 kg heroin during operations in Peshawar and Khyber districts,” an official told The News.

He added the team recovered 55 kg ice and 88 kg heroin during actions in Peshawar while 15 kg ice and 53 kg heroin was recovered by the NET from Khyber. “A total of 35 cases were registered by the NET and 57 top dealers have been arrested in operations by the force in the last almost one month,” said the official.

According to the official data, a total of 55kg of ice was recovered in Peshawar in 2019 while 73.4kg was seized in 2020. The second biggest recovery, 57kg, was made by the Mardan district police in 2020.

The recovery of ice from five divisions Malakand, Hazara, Bannu, Kohat and Dera Ismail Khan in 2020 stood at 49 kg.

The statistics showed that 9.8kg ice was recovered in Kohat region, having four districts, 4 kg in Hazara (seven districts), 13 kg in Bannu, 8.1kg in Dera Ismail Khan and 4.4kg in Malakand in 2020.

This speaks to how the recovery has increased manifold in recent weeks. “Some aggressive operations were carried out against the big fish of the drug mafia by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police since the launch of special Narcotics Eradication Teams (NET) in all the districts,” an official said.

In every district, NET is headed by a deputy superintendent of police assisted by around 40 policemen, one third of which are Elite commandoes. The NETs are composed of a number of inspectors and sub-inspectors and their jurisdiction is the entire district.

“The NETs were launched for aggressive operations against the big fish. The teams were set up to go after the drug mafia in districts and will submit reports daily,” said Inspector General of Police (IGP) Moazzam Jah Ansari recently.

The teams work under the direct command of the district police officer. All the DPOs have been directed to appoint upright, dedicated and brave officers as heads of the NET in their areas.

“The station house officers in an area will be held responsible for inaction or complicity if they fail to go after the drug business and NET has to carry out operations. Action against the SHO will be taken either for his inefficiency or otherwise criminal involvement of any of his subordinates or himself in the dirty business,” an official said.

According to the official, the special teams submit daily reports to DPO and work in two shifts.

A number of operations against ice dealers, manufacturers and traffickers were launched across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after the number of its addicts increased manifold in recent years.

However, the number of addicts is still growing despite hectic efforts and operations by the police and other forces. Not only men but also a large number of women and teenagers have become addicted to ice.

Besides, many addicts were found to be involved in various crimes. It is also being reported that apart from ecstasy pills, some tablets, injections and syrups being sold at certain medical stores are also being used by the addicts when they can’t find other drugs.