Authorities say criminals are exploiting technology to smuggle drugs across Pakistan using the popular Google Maps app.
By sharing GPS coordinates and using messaging apps, dealers in the Khyber district have created a discreet distribution system. This method dubbed the “Location Network,” allows them to deliver drugs nationwide without traditional face-to-face deals.
These smugglers avoid traditional hand-to-hand transactions by placing drugs at specific locations in different cities and villages. They photograph these sites, share the images, and coordinate with main dealers in the district using WhatsApp.
These dealers then pass the details to buyers, enabling them to collect the drugs without any face-to-face interaction. Payments for these transactions are completed electronically through bank transfers.
A Khyber resident named Owal Gul linked to the Location Network revealed that he was tasked by major drug dealers to distribute narcotics in Sialkot, Punjab.
Gul described the drug operation as a well-oiled machine. He said major dealers run vast networks both inside and outside Pakistan. These networks operate daily, relying on minimal face-to-face contact for security.
The drug operation reportedly stretches from the United Arab Emirates to the Gulf States and Western nations. Drug money is sent to top dealers in Khyber through secret bank accounts.
Khyber District Police Officer Saleem Abbas said the network uses fake names for their WhatsApp accounts. They also hide drug money by sending it through many different bank accounts.
The strict drug laws in the Gulf States have forced dealers to use technology instead of people to move drugs. This way, they don’t need to hire couriers.
Even though the drug network is smart, police are actively trying to put an end to it. DPO Abbas said it’s been difficult to catch these people because they’re careful. But police are monitoring people who suddenly get rich and check their phones for clues.
This has helped police catch some drug dealers.
Khyber police officers DSP Sawal Zar Khan, SHO Adnan Afridi, SHO Muhammad Haroon, and ASI Muhammad Baz have been leading the fight against the Location Network.
In the last six months, they’ve stopped a big part of the network, with 65 cases filed and 120 arrests.
Because of this, some major drug dealers have reportedly moved their business to Peshawar.