QUETTA: The Customs authorities in Balochistan have thwarted a major drug smuggling attempt, seizing over 11 million Methadone Hydrochloride tablets valued at Rs446 million, The News reported on Thursday.
According to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), the Customs Appraisement Collectorate, Taftan, under the Chief Collector of Customs (Appraisement), Balochistan, conducted a surprise inspection after detecting suspicious activity near the border area.
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During the operation, officials recovered 620 cartons containing 11.16 million Methadone Hydrochloride tablets (40mg each), allegedly of Iranian origin. The seized drugs, classified as highly addictive and dangerous, were being prepared for illegal transport.
Customs officials arrested a suspect, Sikandar Hayat, while he was transferring the consignment to a private vehicle. During interrogation, he confessed that the shipment belonged to Haji Amanullah, a Taftan-based importer already facing misdeclaration and customs fraud charges. Another suspect, Asim, reportedly fled the scene and is currently being pursued.
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Authorities stated that Methadone is listed under Schedule II of the Control of Narcotic Substances (Regulation of Drugs of Abuse, Controlled Chemicals, Equipment and Materials) Rules, 2001, and can only be imported with prior approval and a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Ministry of Narcotics Control, based on the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP)’s recommendation.
An FIR has been registered under the Control of Narcotic Substances Act, 1997, and further investigations are underway to track down other accomplices and determine the full scope of the smuggling network.