KHYBER: The police have unearthed close links and coordination between outlawed militant outfits and drug smugglers here during a crackdown, say officials.

Officials of the Shah Kas police centre and Jamrud and Bara police told Dawn on condition of anonymity that the banned militant organisations Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Lashkar-i-Islam (LI) began “taxing” drug smugglers in parts of Tirah valley after putting up checkpoints to monitor their movement, besides extorting money from drug dealers in Wazir Dhand and Shah Kas markets in Jamrud area for their activities.

They said some police officials, who patronised illegal drug business in Wazir Dhand markets, were also on the extortion list of militant groups and that they would regularly receive calls from militants to claim their share of the ill-gotten money.

Officials said the police had terminated the services of 26 officials, while another 15-20 were being probed for their alleged connections with drug smugglers and dealers.

Say 26 officials sacked, 15-20 facing probe over connections with drug dealers

They claimed that a marked reduction was witnessed in the illegal trade of heroin, opium, ice drug, and ecstasy pills during the last 10 months.

Officials said the TTP targetted both drug dealers and police officials besides carrying out suicide attacks against the personnel of other law-enforcement agencies after the “denial” of share in drug trade proceeds or were obstructed by law-enforcement agencies.

They added that militants direly needed large sums of cash for their organisational setup as well as attacks.

Officials said the militant groups would even fight against each other to get a lion’s share of the extorted money, while a number of police officials who either refused to pay money or reneged on their promise of full payment were also targeted.

They said the police found a clue to the nexus among TTP, LI, and drug smugglers during the interrogation of a rickshaw driver, who was held in Bara on Sept 20, 2023, while trying to smuggle 350kg explosives hidden under heaps of straw.

“That was a vital catch for us. The rickshaw driver provided us with information about targeted killings in Bara and the culprits. The police didn’t have a clue until then,” district police officer Salim Abbas Kulachi told Dawn.

He said the rickshaw driver told police investigators that the TTP and LI had joined hands during a meeting in Tirah Valley a few months ago to “regulate and streamline” charas smuggling from Afghanistan through a network to generate funds for their activities.

The DPO said the TTP’s 313 Brigade had “employed” around 250 youth, mostly aged 17–28, in Bara for drug distribution and trained them in how to eliminate those obstructing their illegal business or not meeting extortion demands.

He said charas was brought in from Tirah before being dumped at a “secret” place in the Akkakhel area of Upper Bara.

“We successfully busted the dumping place and seized a large quantity of Afghan charas. The locals protested against us for depriving them of their only source of livelihood, with charas business being part of their tribal tradition,” he said.

Mr Kulachi said the targeted killing of police intensified in Bara only after they successfully raided charas “warehouses” in Akkakhel.

He added that the examination of records revealed that almost all 250 youngsters employed for drug smuggling and targeted killing were previously involved in drug trade before becoming integral part of the TTP’s 313 Brigade.

The DPO said ostensibly that those young and smart men would supply drugs to interested parties in Bara, but at the same time, they would establish contacts with the police officials for uninterrupted drug trade and the collection of information about drug smugglers operating in Tirah Valley. He added that those men later shared that information with their leaders.

Mr Kulachi said the police’s effective and coordinated strikes against drug dealers in the recent past led to a considerable reduction in extortion demands.

He said militant activities in Khyber had also been reduced to a “satisfactory level” due to a drastic reduction in drug financing for militants.

“Our [Khyber police’s] fight against militants and drug smugglers will continue after the recent successes,” he said.

Published in Dawn, May 31st, 2024