Law enforcement agencies have arrested 24 people across Pakistan following disclosures made by Anmol alias Pinky, widely dubbed the “Cocaine Queen,” the alleged kingpin of a sprawling drug network stretching from Karachi to Lahore.

Among those arrested are 11 African nationals who, according to investigators, smuggled cocaine into Pakistan and supplied it to Pinky.

Investigators said the African nationals had married Pakistani women, apparently to facilitate their operations. Arrests have been made in Karachi, Rawalpindi, and Kasur.

Karachi’s City Court has remanded Pinky into police custody until May 22 in more than 12 registered cases. The court has also sought a progress report at the next hearing.

During a Saturday court appearance, Pinky alleged that police had coerced her statements and fabricated cases against her. The investigating officer rejected all her allegations.

At a press conference, Additional IGP Karachi Azad Khan said investigators recovered 869 phone numbers from Pinky’s mobile phone and traced transactions worth Rs30 million through a single bank account. Eight of nine motorcycle riders linked to the network are from Punjab. Police have requested that four key suspects be placed on the Exit Control List (ECL).

Investigators say Pinky’s network used female motorcycle riders for drug deliveries, and that her brothers are also allegedly involved. According to investigative reports, she was not only involved in drug supply but also in cocaine processing, and had allegedly established her own drug brand.

Police records show Pinky was first arrested in Karachi in 2018 and again in Lahore in 2024, but faced no consequential action on both occasions due to alleged influence and financial dealings. She had been declared a proclaimed offender in multiple cases before her current arrest.

Investigators say the network’s scope is widening and further arrests are expected.

Background of the case

Earlier, Alleged drug trafficker Anmol alias “Pinky,” dubbed the “Cocaine Queen” by investigators, was arrested earlier this week during a joint operation conducted by Karachi police and federal agencies in the Garden area.

Authorities claimed she was operating a large narcotics network spanning multiple cities across Pakistan and was wanted in more than 10 criminal cases.

Police said high-quality narcotics worth millions of rupees, along with a pistol and ammunition, were recovered during the raid.

Investigators alleged that Pinky used female riders and digital payment channels to distribute drugs while avoiding police surveillance. Officials also claimed the network targeted students at educational institutions and affluent clients in major urban centres.

A local court later sent the accused to jail on judicial remand, while police subsequently secured a three-day physical remand for further interrogation.

The case drew further attention after videos circulated on social media showing the accused appearing in court without handcuffs and allegedly receiving protocol. Following the controversy, senior police officials ordered inquiries and suspended officers accused of granting undue privileges.

Investigators later revealed that Pinky allegedly operated drug supply networks from both Karachi and Lahore and maintained links with accomplices across several cities, including Islamabad, Multan, Murree, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.

Authorities also alleged that she launched her own narcotics brand under the name “Queen Madam Pinky” and used online payment systems and mobile franchise networks to handle transactions.

The investigation has since expanded to Lahore, where the Punjab government and the Crime Control Department (CCD) have initiated separate inquiries into the network and alleged procedural lapses in earlier cases linked to Pinky and her associates.