Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Anti Narcotics Force (ANF) recovered on Wednesday a huge cache of narcotics, worth Rs 7.5 billion in International Market, during as many as 15 intensified operations conducted across the country.

The seized drugs weighed 1.43 tonnes and were comprised of 1.09 tonnes of Heroin, 313.6 kilogrammes of Hashish and 29.6 kilogrammes of Opium. Furthermore, ANF also arrested 14 persons during these operations, which included a foreign national involved in drug trafficking, on top of confiscating five vehicles. These operations were carried out in Islamabad, Attock, Lahore, Faisalabad, Peshawar, Hyderabad, Karachi, Quetta and Pishin.

While acting on a tip-off, ANF Quetta raided a place in Pishin District, seizing 1.089 tonnes of Heroin. The drug consignment was secretly stocked at an uninhabited site situated in Killi Kamalo, Tehsil Barshore, Pishin District, according to sources. As per preliminary reports, the drug consignment was to be supplied to another narcotics dealer, who would have smuggled it to some unidentified destination. In another operation, ANF Quetta detained an abandoned Suzuki Mehran parked near Kechi Baigat, Qambrani Road, Quetta, and recovered 20 kilogrammes of Hashish concealed within.

ANF Rawalpindi Airport Team intercepted a passenger, Shahzaib, who hailed from Mardan, at Benazir International Airport, Islamabad, while he was heading to Jeddah on PIA Flight No. PK-276 and found 1.01 kilogrammes of Heroin in his luggage. During another search operation, ANF Rawalpindi also arrested a drug supplier and recovered two kilogrammes of Opium and three kilogrammes of Hashish from his possession. He was arrested while travellng on a motorcycle near Iqbal Shaheed Toll Plaza, GT Road, Attock. A local drug peddler was also taken into custody by ANF Rawalpindi near District Headquarters Hospital, Attock, after the personnel had found one kilogramme of Hashish from his possession.

A Toyota XLI Car was intercepted near Total Petrol Pump, Khanpur Road, Rahim Yar Khan by ANF Lahore team, who confiscated 27.6 kilogrammes of Opium concealed in secret cavities of the car. Two persons on board–Manzoor Ahmed and Sajid Ali, both residents of Nankana Sahib–were also arrested during the operation. ANF Lahore Airport Team arrested a Nigerian national, Charlis Obikee, at Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore, after he had confessed of ingesting Heroin filled capsules. The accused was boarding for Emirates Airline Flight No EK-625 to Nigeria. Another passenger, Maroof Hussain–resident of Gujrat– was also intercepted by ANF Lahore Airport Team at Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore, while he was on his way to Italy using Qatar Airline Flight No. QR-621, once they had found three kilogrammes of Heroin concealed in his luggage. Moreover, ANF Lahore also recovered 780 grammes of Heroin from a parcel containing ladies bags at an office of a courier service company based in Lahore. The parcel was destined for Canada. Also in Lahore, ANF personnel seized a Canadian bound parcel at the office of a courier service company and recovered 510 grammes of Heroin concealed inside a jacket. ANF Lahore Road Check Team arrested a drug carrier, Muhammad Rafique–resident of Dara Adam Khel–rom a passenger bus near main Motorway Toll Plaza, Faisalabad, and seized 500 grammes of Hashish from his possession. ANF Peshawar arrested a passenger, Luqman Khan–resident of Kohat– at Peshawar Airport, while he was boarding for Shaheen Airline Flight No. NL-786 to Dubai. They also recovered 140 grammes of Hashish from a food box. After initial investigation, Khan also led the Personnel to another drug supplier, Abu Bakar–resident of Kohat–who was also arrested from Kohat Bus Stand, Peshawar. In another operation, ANF Peshawar seized 2.4 Kg Hashish from personal possession of an alleged peddler, Zar Baz Khan–resident of Khyber Agency, –while he was traveling in a passenger van near main Motorway Toll Plaza, Peshawar.

In an intelligence-based operation, ANF Karachi intercepted a passenger bus near Karachi Toll plaza, Super Highway, Karachi and found 285.6 kilogrammes of Hashish from various improvised cavities of the vehicle. The team also detained two passengers, identified as Yar Muhammad –resident of Mardan– and Muhammad Afzal– resident of Swat. In another operation, ANF Karachi arrested a local drug peddler, Allah Bux and recovered 1.1 kilogrammes of Hashish and 50 grammes of Heroin. He was arrested near Rajputana Hospital, Hyderabad City.

All cases have been registered at respective ANF Police Stations while further investigations are still underway.