‘Clever and street-smart’: Police say Anmol did not employ anyone permanently

AI Summary

Anmol, an alleged drug dealer in Pakistan, has been arrested for operating a narcotics network that involved numerous accomplices. Her story reveals a complex background linked to drug trafficking and domestic challenges.

KARACHI: Anmol alias Pinky, an alleged cocaine queenpin arrested by police in Karachi, is ‘clever and street-smart’ as she did not hire anyone on a permanent basis in her narcotics trade, South Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Syed Asad Raza said on Saturday. DIG Asad told Dawn that the her associates supplied cocaine to customers through a network of 35 riders across the country. “She started her own network in Lahore after ending a 10-year marriage with her husband, Rana Nasir, who was also an alleged drug dealer, accusing him of domestic violence,” the senior police official said. He elaborated that around nine or ten riders working for the accused had been arrested in Karachi’s Clifton and Defence areas. “The accused hired lawyers and paid them fees to pursue the cases of the arrested riders. In addition, she remained in contact with different police officers,” DIG Asad said. According to details shared by the DIG, Anmol told investigators that she had wanted to become a model since childhood, but her family had opposed her dream. “To pursue her dream, one day she took a large amount of cash and gold ornaments from an apartment on Abul Hasan Isphahani Road. She informed her mother and moved from Karachi to Lahore in 2008 after having studied up to class 8,” he said. Since she had no residence or relatives there, the DIG said, adding that Anmol met a family who offered her a room on rent for Rs5,000 per month, where she stayed for one and a half years. “In the meantime, she continued her efforts to work in films. She met a film producer who took her to different film shootings, but she could not get work in films. She also used to attend different parties with the producer and one day at a party in Lahore’s Defence area, she met Rana Nasir, who, according to her, appeared to be a wealthy man. She developed a friendship with him,” the official said. “After eight to nine months of friendship, she married Rana Nasir at the age of 14 and started living in Defence, Lahore.” During this time, DIG Asad said Anmol learnt that Nasir was an “international drug dealer”, who also allegedly used her several times for the supply of drugs and cash recovery. “Rana Nasir provided a Ufone SIM to her and opened an account with a foreign bank. He also arranged driving training and provided her with a car,” he said, adding, “The SIM and the bank account were used for narcotics trade.” “Foreigners, particularly Nigerians, used to visit Rana Nasir’s home in Defence. They used to bring drugs to the house. Rana Nasir, as part of a well-planned strategy, used to hide the drugs to avoid arrest.” Initially, the senior police official said, Anmol started supplying drugs along with her husband in Lahore, and later the husband started using her SIM to operate a network in Karachi as well, where she remained in touch with buyers. Anmol told interrogators that her former husband, Nasir, used to purchase cocaine from Nigerians. Subsequently, he mixed chemicals to increase the quantity. “Rana Nasir originally hailed from Gujranwala.” Anmol told investigators that she observed the mixing of chemicals in cocaine and learnt the process. “On the directions of Rana Nasir, she also collected drugs from a friend of his, Bobby, several times.” “Rana Nasir used her as a drug courier and recover payments from customers,” DIG South elaborated. The senior police official further said some foreigners, particularly Nigerians, had been living in Nishtar Colony, Lahore. “They were allegedly affiliated with drug cartels. They had married local women over the past five to ten years. They posed as clothes merchants but, under the guise of a textile business, they were supplying narcotics.” After several months of marriage, the senior police official said Nasir started physically abusing Anmol. “The couple did not have any children. After 10 years of marriage, she separated from Rana Nasir due to domestic violence and returned to her mother’s home in Karachi.” She brought the same SIM, which her former husband had provided, containing the names of all dealers, customers and riders, DIG Asad said, adding: “She started approaching them and within two to three months, set up her drug network.” “She went to Lahore again and started working against her former husband’s network. She once again came into contact with Bobby.” “Bobby initially provided drugs for supply in different cities,” the police official said. “Since she had learnt a method of mixing chemicals into cocaine to increase its quantity from her former husband, she adopted the same method for selling cocaine in Karachi. Initially, she hired the services of a woman, Sabireen alias Sabira, who had a criminal record in Lahore, to supply drugs to Karachi from Lahore through local buses in return for Rs 50,000 per trip.” The official said the accused also hired several riders in Karachi who originally hailed from Punjab; some of them had also been arrested in Karachi. “After Bobby’s arrest, she obtained sup