KARACHI: Karachi Additional Inspector General (AIG) Azad Khan on Friday shared details of the ongoing investigation into alleged drug queenpin Anmol alias Pinky, saying investigators had uncovered information suggesting the involvement of foreign nationals in the drug network allegedly operated by her.
Anmol was arrested earlier this week from her apartment in Karachi during a joint raid conducted by police and a civilian intelligence agency in connection with two cases related to the possession of narcotics and an unlicensed weapon.
On Wednesday, a Karachi court granted police a three-day physical remand of the suspect.
Addressing a press conference on Friday, AIG Khan said the investigation could prove to be transnational, as authorities had received information indicating the involvement of foreigners in the alleged drug network.
“We have come across information that some foreigners from African countries are involved in this network who are in Lahore. They may be six to eight in number,” he said.
“Similarly, around 20 Lahore-based women are also involved in this network,” he added.
According to the AIG, investigators had learned that the main shipment of drugs used to arrive from Lahore, where the products were allegedly prepared before being transported to Karachi.
He further said Anmol employed riders for deliveries, nine of whom had so far been identified. “Eight of them are from Punjab and used to come here, carry out their work and leave. Only one of the nine riders was from Karachi,” he stated.
“When her riders began getting caught, she changed her modus operandi. Instead of sending her own riders, she started using local riders through various services,” he added.
AIG Khan said Sindh authorities were in contact with Punjab Police as well as the Anti-Narcotics Force, Federal Investigation Agency and National Cybercrime Investigation Agency regarding the investigation.
“We are also contacting the Financial Monitoring Unit,” he added.
The senior police officer said 20 cases linked to Anmol had surfaced in Sindh, including 17 old cases and three recently registered ones. One of the cases, he noted, was registered with the ANF.
He added that three additional cases had been registered against her in Lahore and authorities had sought details regarding their current status.
The AIG said Anmol had been shown as arrested in nine cases and acquitted in six previous cases registered against her. “She has been declared a proclaimed offender in three cases and an absconder in an ANF case,” he said.
Separately, he said nine previously registered cases were linked to her network. “Her riders are nominated in those cases, but her name was not mentioned in the cases when they were registered,” he explained.
AIG Khan further stated that Anmol had allegedly been involved in drug peddling since 2014 and began operating in Karachi in 2018.
“She used to do it online and when she came on the authorities’ radar here, she moved to Lahore,” he added.
The official said a forensic analysis of Anmol’s mobile phone had been conducted, revealing more than 800 contacts.
“We are trying to determine the location of those contacts. We have received the location of 639 contacts, of which only 132 are in Karachi,” he stated, adding that this indicated her network extended beyond the city.
According to the AIG, investigators had identified around 300 contacts as individuals fully involved in drug-related activity.
He said authorities were now working to categorise those individuals as “victims” addicted to drugs, “accused” involved in drug sales, and “harbourers” who facilitated the network through influence.
“Whoever they may be — including police personnel — will be taken into custody,” he said.
Sharing details of financial transactions linked to Anmol, AIG Khan said investigators had obtained a 500-page bank statement from an account dating back one and a half years.
“According to it, transactions worth more than Rs30 million had been recorded in that account,” he said.
“The biggest transaction has been made by an account under the name of an individual named Anna from Lahore — the amount is around nine million or more,” he added.
The official further revealed that a raid conducted overnight at Anmol’s former residence resulted in the recovery of cocaine, leading to the registration of another separate case.
He also said four names had been forwarded to relevant authorities for placement on the Exit Control List in connection with the investigation.
When asked whether any parliamentarian or their spouses were among those nominated for the ECL, the AIG replied: “That is not the case. These are people who are involved in this matter.”
During the briefing, he also disclosed that Anmol had been nominated in a murder case.
“Her contact was found with a drug addict who has died. We treat it as a murder,” he said.
AIG Khan added that the Sindh inspector general of police had constituted a larger investigation team headed by him.
The team, he said, also included Deputy Inspector General (Crime) Amir Farooqi, the DIG Special Branch and the DIG of the Counter-Terrorism Department.
“We want a broad-based investigation into this at a senior level,” he said.
The official also denied reports claiming Anmol had been arrested in Lahore.
“She was arrested here. Processes involving intelligence are complex, people are lured in — I will not go into details, but police and intelligence agencies have put in hard work for the arrest,” he explained.
He further said he had spoken with the Punjab inspector general and that Sindh and Punjab police would continue sharing information regarding the case.
“We have already formed a team and they, too, will probably constitute a team,” he added.
A police statement issued after the press conference said Anmol had been arrested on the night of May 12 during a joint operation by police and intelligence agencies.
According to the statement, authorities recovered 1,540 grammes of cocaine, 6,970 grammes of other drugs and chemicals, and a 9mm pistol with ammunition from her possession.
Police further stated that Anmol had confessed during the investigation that she began drug peddling in 2014-15 with her husband, Rana Nasir.
“She used to deal with Rana’s clients and supply drugs,” the statement quoted her as saying.
According to police, she started selling drugs online in 2018.
“She had established an organised network in different cities. She used to supply drugs from one city to another via local buses and received orders for drugs on WhatsApp,” the statement said.
“Once the client’s location was shared, she used to supply drugs in boxes of food items through riders,” it added.
The statement further said 835 contact numbers had been found in her mobile phone, including 300 identified as active customers.
Moreover, 15 major clients and 38 regular customers had also been identified, police said.
Authorities also traced six different bank accounts through her mobile phone, according to the statement, adding that payments for drugs were transferred to those accounts.
The statement also named two men, Zeeshan and Sohail, identified as owners of “Fayyaz Communication”.
Police said the two individuals managed financial matters for the network.
“On Anmol’s instructions, Fayyaz Communication transferred Rs30 million to her six accounts from four private accounts in a year,” the statement added.