Crime
Pakistani authorities have arrested 20 Nigerian nationals in a major anti-narcotics operation in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
The Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, November 12, 2026, adding that officials seized more than 4 kilograms of narcotics during the operation.
The coordinated operation was conducted at various locations across the twin cities on the basis of intelligence reports.
It came amid an ongoing nationwide campaign against drug trafficking.
Preliminary investigations revealed that two of the arrested Nigerian nationals were already on bail in a previous narcotics case.
“The arrested suspects were associated with an organized drug trafficking network allegedly involved in the smuggling, distribution and sale of cocaine, ice, and weed among youth, particularly students of educational institutions in Islamabad and Rawalpindi,” the ANF said.
“The recovered drugs comprised 1.682 kg cocaine, 2 kg of methamphetamine (Ice) and 750 grams weed.”
The agency said it has been closely monitoring the activities of the drug traffickers and acted on actionable intelligence.
“ANF has expanded the scope of its investigations to identify potential facilitators, sources of narcotics supply, financial supporters, local contacts and possible connections with other drug trafficking organizations,” it said.
In Sept., the United States credited the ANF with helping seize 463 kilograms of Afghan-origin crystal methamphetamine worth $21 million that was bound for Sri Lanka. The seizure took place on August 30.
Sri Lankan authorities previously said the drugs were discovered concealed in bath towels inside a shipping container at Colombo port. Earlier accounts focused on intelligence supplied by the US Drug Enforcement Administration and the interception by Sri Lankan police and customs authorities.
The US statement said Pakistan’s ANF coordinated with the American agency on the operation.
