ISLAMABAD: Around one tonne of narcotics worth Rs 680 million in International Market were recovered by Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) in as many as nine operations carried out at Rawalpindi, Sialkot, Lahore, Sukkur, Karachi and Panjgoor.
The seized drugs comprised of 959 kilogrammes of Hashish, 11 kilogrammes of Heroin, 8.9 kilogrammes of Ice and 500 grammes of Opium. Nine persons involved in drug trafficking were also arrested during these operations while another four vehicles were impounded. Most of the recovered drugs, particularly Heroin and Ice were destined for abroad.
While acting on intelligence reports, ANF Quetta raided at a location in Panjgoor District and recovered 754 kilogrammes of Hashish and detained a Toyota Jeep. According to sources, ANF had established a check at a site near Majboorabad in Panjgoor District. During surveillance, a Toyota Jeep sans registration number stopped at some distance from the ANF road check. Suspecting the situation, the personnel approached the jeep and took it into custody. However, the persons on board had already fled the scene. A thorough search of the vehicle was conducted by ANF Team, which resulted in a recovery of 754 kilogrammes of Hashish from various improvised cavities.
ANF Rawalpindi also intercepted a parcel at an office of a courier service company in Rawalpindi and seized 770 grammes of Heroin concealed inside two flour-pasting machines. The parcel had been destined for UK. After initial investigations, an accused trafficker was also arrested from a location nearby.
Another successful operation by ANF Lahore resulted in recovery of 700 grammes of Heroin concealed within a parcel, destined for UK. The personnel also arrested a person who identified as Tariq Mehmood, a resident of Sialkot, near office of a Courier Service Company in Sialkot City. A motorcyclist, Jamshed Iqbal, resident of Sheikhupura, was intercepted by ANF Lahore team near Shell Petrol Pump, Shahadara Mor, Lahore who then recovered three kilogrammes of Heroin from his possession. According to initial details, the accused was involved in trafficking drugs at city level. Yet in another operation, ANF Lahore arrested a drug peddler, Muhammad Asif–resident of Kasur– near Baba Sabu Motorway Interchange, Lahore and recovered 500 grammes of Opium from his possession.
Around 8.9 kilogrammes of Ice and 4.6 kilogrammes of Heroin were recovered by ANF Karachi when they intercepted two different foreign-bound shipments of marble from the Cargo Shed of Jinnah International Airport, Karachi. The sources noted that 1.7 kilogrammes of Heroin and 7.9 kilogrammes of Ice were recovered from shipment of marble tiles, destined for Damam, while 2.9 kilogrammes of Heroin and one kilogramme of Ice were found from a Dubai-bound shipment of marble tiles. During the operation, an alleged trafficker was also taken into custody. While acting on a tip-off, operation, ANF Karachi intercepted another Troller near toll plaza of Super Highway, Karachi and found 204 kilogrammes of Hashish, concealed within its improvised cavities. Two persons on board-Zakir, resident of Charsadda, and Umar Waheed, resident of Malakand–were also arrested during the operation. ANF Karachi also took a local drug peddler, Arbelo–resident of Sukkur-into custody and recovered 1.05 kilogrammes of Hashish from his possession. He was arrested while riding on a motorcycle near Goth Aadhi Tukri, Rohri, Sukkur. Two local drug suppliers, Nadeem Ahmed–resident of Karachi–and Abdul Wahab–resident of Hub-were arrested by ANF Karachi near Naval Colony, Hub River Road, Karachi, who also seized two kilogrammes of Heroin from their possession.
All cases have been registered at respective ANF Police Stations while further investigation is still underway.
