The recent high-profile crackdown on the notorious international Jordan gang supplying narcotics to youth in influential circles might have hit like a deju vu to those horrified by the use of drone technology to smuggle Ice drugs across the eastern border. The entire takedown reads like a riveting novella: how a gang, including four members of the same family, operated from all around the world to supply highly expensive drugs in Lahore and Multan to a selected clientele in a shockingly discreet manner. For far more times than one would like to imagine, Pakistan has made headlines for its rising tide of narcotics rackets in recent years; posing a serious threat to the country’s socio-economic fabric. The prevalence of this illicit trade not only fuels addiction and ruins countless lives but also undermines the rule of law, corrodes institutions, and fuels organized crime. With sophisticated smuggling networks operating with impunity, the trade has become increasingly lucrative, attracting individuals from all strata of society. According to a recent study that investigated Pakistan’s escalating drug overdose emergency, more than 700 people die each day due to these complications. Because of its geographical location as a transit for Afghanistan’s illicit opium-poppy trade, it has been incredibly easy for these criminals to spread their tentacles in all corners and give a hail-mary-pass to delusions to the sitting duck: school and college students. The social and economic cost of addiction could not be more staggering, as families are torn apart, communities suffer, and productive members of society are lost to the vice of drugs. Of course, such operations cannot be planned without some nexus with law enforcement officials. In 2023, a controversial probe into the drone scandal revealed that a former deputy superintendent of police in Lahore had amassed illegal assets worth billions from these transactions, further underscoring the depth of corruption that plagues the country. The time has come for concerted action to combat the menace of narcotics smuggling in Pakistan. All provinces would do well to replicate the success of Lahore’s Organised Crime Unit and make an example out of anyone who dares play with the future of this country. The government must take decisive steps to root out corruption within law enforcement agencies, enhance border security and intelligence-gathering to disrupt smuggling networks and strengthen rehabilitation and enforcement mechanisms to curb addiction. It’s time to take a stand and say no to drugs, no to corruption, and yes to a brighter, drug-free tomorrow. *