Drug dealers in the Khyber district have adopted advanced technology, using Google Maps and messaging apps like WhatsApp to conduct their operations more discreetly, according to a report by Express Tribune.

This method, known locally as the “Location Network,” involves placing drugs at predetermined locations, taking pictures, and sending the coordinates to main dealers, who then forward the information to buyers. Payments are made electronically through bank transfers.

A Khyber resident, confirmed his involvement in distributing drugs in Sialkot, Punjab, under instructions from major dealers. The operation extends to Gulf States and Western countries, with payments channeled through temporary or anonymous bank accounts to avoid detection.

The stringent anti-drug laws in the Gulf States have driven drug dealers to adopt technology-based methods, reducing the need for physical couriers.

Despite the sophistication of these operations, police have been actively working to dismantle the network. DPO Saleem Abbas noted the challenges in capturing the network due to its discreet nature. Authorities monitor individuals with sudden unexplained wealth and investigate their mobile devices for evidence, leading to successful interventions and arrests.

Police officers DSP Sawal Zar Khan, SHO Adnan Afridi, SHO Muhammad Haroon, and ASI Muhammad Baz have been at the forefront of these efforts in Khyber.

Over the past six months, they have dismantled a significant portion of the network, registering 65 cases and arresting 120 individuals linked to the operation.

The successful operations have reduced drug trafficking activities in the Gulf region.