Islamabad police have reported that drug dealers in the federal capital are increasingly shifting their operations online following an intensified crackdown on narcotics trafficking. According to police officials, criminal networks are now using messaging applications to coordinate drug sales and provide home delivery services while also relying on beggars to distribute narcotics in public locations. Authorities said the change in tactics is an attempt to avoid detection after sustained law enforcement operations targeted traditional drug distribution networks across the city. The online model has become particularly active around educational institutions, especially universities, while deliveries have also been reported in commercial districts, residential areas, parties, and music events where younger individuals are often targeted.
Police data shows that between January 1 and July 22 this year, authorities sacked 1,002 drug peddlers and registered 966 criminal cases related to narcotics offences. During these operations, police recovered 168,337 grams of charas, 102,183 grams of heroin, 110,110 grams of ice, 11 pills, and 9,901 bottles of wine. Officials further disclosed that 102 suspects were sacked from areas surrounding educational institutions, with 98 cases registered in connection with drug trafficking near schools and universities. These operations resulted in the recovery of 20,240 grams of charas, 12,164 grams of heroin, 18,984 grams of ice, four pills, and 20 bottles of wine. Police stated that messaging applications are widely used to arrange transactions, while drug deliveries are carried out directly to customers in different parts of the city, making enforcement more challenging than conventional street level trafficking.
According to officials, criminal groups have also begun using beggars as drug couriers after many professional peddlers were identified or detained during police operations. Beggars are reportedly assigned to deliver narcotics to predetermined locations where buyers collect the drugs, reducing direct contact between organized traffickers and customers. In response to this evolving distribution model, Islamabad police have developed a strategy focused on educational institutions, where authorities believe online drug activity is particularly prevalent. Police approached university administrations to strengthen cooperation and agreed to conduct physical checks of delivery personnel entering campuses. Additional surveillance measures include the installation of Safe City Islamabad Authority cameras around educational institutions and the appointment of focal persons by both police and universities to improve coordination in identifying suspicious activities.
Police officials also stated that many peddlers and intermediaries are identified and apprehended within Islamabad, while a significant quantity of narcotics is believed to be smuggled into the city from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa using different transportation methods, particularly concealed within goods vehicles. Authorities identified areas on the outskirts of Islamabad, including Tarnol and Bhara Kahu, as locations where intermediaries are active, while Doray village continues to be known as a longstanding hub for narcotics activity. Officials noted that both organic and synthetic drugs are available in the capital and are currently dealt with under the same legal framework, although they believe stricter penalties should be considered for those involved in the distribution of synthetic drugs because of their greater health risks. Police also shared current market prices for narcotics, estimating one kilogram of charas at Rs50,000, opium at Rs90,000, heroin at Rs70,000, ice at Rs1 million, cocaine at Rs1.2 million, and ecstasy pills at approximately Rs1,000 each. A police spokesperson confirmed that following the recent crackdown, traffickers have increasingly turned to messaging applications and courier based delivery methods to continue their illegal operations.
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