By Ashrafuddin Pirzada
LANDIKOTAL: Police seized 25 kilograms of ice drug and arrested one suspect in two separate raids in the district of Khyber, police said on Saturday.
Khyber District Police(DPO) Rai Mazhar Iqbal have intensified operations against drug dealers, conducting major raids in various places of Landikotal and Jamrud tehsils that led to the seizure of a total of 25 kilograms of crystal meth (ice) and the arrest of one suspect, while another key accused managed to escape.
In Landikotal, acting on specific intelligence and under the supervision of Sub-Inspector Hajat Khan and his team, they raided a hujra in Pirokhel village near the Afghan border. The raid was carried out as part of a district-wide campaign initiated on the orders of District Police Officer (DPO) Rai Mazhar Iqbal to curb drug trafficking.
During the search operation, police recovered 23 kilograms of crystal meth hidden in the hujra. However, police said that the prime suspect, identified as Junaid, managed to escape before police arrived.
Junaid, who is a resident of Pirokhel village, is a known offender and is already wanted in several other criminal cases by the Landikotal police. A case has been officially registered, and search operations are ongoing to ensure his arrest.
In a separate anti-narcotics action in Jamrud, police arrested a suspect and recovered both drugs and an illegal weapon. Under the command of SHO Naseem Khan, Incharge Naher Hamid Khan and officer Hashim Khan intercepted a suspicious individual during a routine checkpoint. The suspect, identified as Arshad alias Sheto, originally from Bara and currently residing in Peshawar, was found in possession of 2 kilograms of ice and an unlicensed pistol.
The suspect was immediately arrested, a case was filed against him under relevant narcotics and arms laws, and he was shifted to the local police lock-up for further investigation.
Police officials in Khyber district reaffirmed their commitment to continuing the crackdown on drug trafficking networks and appealed to the public to cooperate by sharing any information regarding drug dealers in the region.
It may be added here that a few days ago police had recovered 30kg crystal Meth from the same village of Pirokhel and arrested four suspects.
