LAHORE:
At least eight suspected drug peddlers were killed in a series of alleged clashes with police in the Gujranwala area over the past 24 hours, as the Crime Control Department (CCD) said it had intensified its crackdown on drug rings province-wide.
The clashes reported in Mandi Bahauddin, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Hafizabad and Sialkot followed the CCD’s announcement two days earlier of an aggressive campaign targeting drug trafficking and organized crime groups. Police said those killed were linked to the sale and distribution of crystal methamphetamine (ice) and were under surveillance after intelligence suggested expanding local supply routes and distribution points.
A CCD spokesperson said the operation had been extended across Punjab, adding that individuals involved in drug trafficking “would not be allowed to escape the clutches of the law”. The official said the campaign would continue “without interruption” in the coming days.
In Sheikhupura, CCD teams carried out an operation against what officials described as a long-standing and “deep-rooted” drug network operating from Ghazi Kakka, Pakhiala. Police officials described the area as having “effectively become a no-go zone,” allegedly housing major suppliers.
According to investigators, the network operated from rented properties in housing societies along GT Road, Rana Town and neighboring areas, using the sites as storage points before supplying narcotics to Lahore and neighboring districts.
Officials said motorcycles stolen from Lahore were regularly exchanged for drugs and the group also used couriers for transportation.
Senior CCD officials said several previous attempts to attack this “effectively prohibited zone” had failed due to information leaks. “Their daily earnings ran into millions of rupees,” said an officer, claiming that beneficiaries of the scheme had repeatedly undermined past efforts.
The teams led by DSPs Raees Khan and Muhammad Ali Butt, along with DSPs Hussnain Haider, Farooq Asghar Awan and Mehdi Kazmi, advanced into the area from several entry points under the supervision of SP Aftab Phulrwan.
An intense exchange of fire continued for several hours. A suspected drug dealer was killed, apparently hit by bullets fired by his associates, while the other suspects fled, according to police testimony.
DSP Raees Khan was injured when a door frame collapsed on him, while DSP Muhammad Ali suffered leg injuries. The two responsible were declared out of danger.
Following the clashes, CCD used earthmoving equipment and demolished nearly 10 homes that the department said had been used for narcotics storage and related criminal activity.
Although the CCD has not released consolidated casualty figures for the province, some reports suggest that more than dozens of suspected drug traffickers may have been killed in various operations since the crackdown began. Officials, however, said the verified details would be shared once documentation from all districts is compiled.
