code: def date_to_milliseconds(date_str):
      
      # get epoch value in UTC
      epoch = datetime.utcfromtimestamp(0).replace(tzinfo=pytz.utc)
      # parse our date string
      d = dateparser.parse(date_str)
      # if the date is not timezone aware apply UTC timezone
      if d.tzinfo is None or d.tzinfo.utcoffset(d) is None:
          d = d.replace(tzinfo=pytz.utc)
  
      # return the difference in time
      return int((d - epoch).total_seconds() * 1000.0)
docs: Convert UTC date to milliseconds
  
      If using offset strings add "UTC" to date string e.g. "now UTC", "11 hours ago UTC"
  
      See dateparse docs for formats http://dateparser.readthedocs.io/en/latest/
  
      :param date_str: date in readable format, i.e. "January 01, 2018", "11 hours ago UTC", "now UTC"
      :type date_str: str