Inspector General of Punjab Police Rao Sardar Ali Khan Tuesday said to eradicate the scourge of drugs, intelligence-based targeted operations (IBOs) should be intensified in all the districts of the province. He said big gangs along with small drug dealers should be taken behind the bars. He directed that operations be carried out in the vicinity of educational institutions, colleges, universities and hostels in order to save the young generation from fashionable drugs i.e. meth (ice) and arrest such drug dealers. Rao Sardar Ali Khan further said if any police officer or official was found supporting drug dealers, then strict departmental and legal action should be taken against him. On direction of the IG Punjab, a crackdown on drug dealers has been intensified in all the districts of the province. Reporting on the ongoing operations against drug dealers in all the districts of the province, the Punjab Police spokesperson said this year the police registered 43,151 cases against smugglers and dealers involved in drug supply chain in all the districts of the province and 43,945 drug dealers. The spokesman said 21,343 kg hashish, 627 kg heroin, 48,403 gram meth (ice) and 7,22,155 liters of liquor were recovered from the possession of the accused this year. In Lahore, 8,146 cases were registered and 8,276 persons were arrested, while 3,566 kg hashish, 84 kg heroin, 25,778 gram ice and 89,691 liters of liquor were recovered from the possession of the arrested persons. In Sheikhupura, 2,869 cases were registered against drug dealers and 2,909 persons were arrested and 2,612 kg hashish, 50 kg heroin, 590 gram ice and 37,730 liter liquor were recovered from the possession of the accused. In Gujranwala, 6,785 cases were registered against the drug dealers and 6,946 persons were arrested, while 3,880 kg hashish, 138 kg heroin, 4,933 gram ice and 44,287 liter liquor were recovered from the possession of the arrested persons. While registering 3,714 cases against the drug dealers in Rawalpindi region, 3,663 persons were arrested and 1,965 kg hashish, 92 kg heroin, 2,608 gram ice and 17,201 liters liquor were recovered from the possession of the arrested persons. In Sargodha region, 2,316 cases were registered against drug dealers and 2,366 persons were arrested, while 1,042 kg hashish, 86 kg of heroin, 1046 gram ice and 146,057 liter liquor were recovered from the possession of the arrested persons. In Faisalabad region 4364 cases were registered against drug dealers and 4391 persons were arrested and 1621 kgs of hashish, 65 kgs of heroin, 5176 gms of ice and 68111 liters of liquor were recovered from the possession of the arrested persons. In Multan region 4898 cases were registered against drug dealers and 4939 persons were arrested while 2207 kgs of hashish, 35 kgs of heroin, 2632 gms of ice and 97917 liters of liquor were recovered from the possession of the criminals. In Sahiwal region 3387 cases were registered against drug dealers and 3497 persons were arrested and 1939 kg of hashish, 42 kg of heroin and 55584 liters of liquor were recovered from the possession of the accused.