November 17, 2003	Monday	Ramazan 21, 1424

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PESHAWAR, Nov 16: The Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) has recovered 123 heroin-filled capsules from the stomach of a Thai woman, who was arrested by the Federal Investigation Agency at Peshawar airport on Saturday.

The FIA had nabbed Vannapa Phumpoon on suspicion of smuggling heroin when she was about to board a Dubai-bound PIA flight PK-203. She had dodged the scanning machine installed at the airport to detect contraband, but the officials concerned held her on suspicion.

The 23-year-old Thai woman was then handed over to the ANF for interrogation. She was taken to the Khyber Teaching Hospital where the staff recovered 123 heroin-filled capsule from her stomach by giving her laxatives.

The heroin weighed 900 grams and worth Rs9 million in the international market, said sources.

The FIA also arrested a man at the Peshawar airport on Saturday for trying to smuggle 500 grams of heroin concealed in the his shoes.

Muslim Shah of Mardan was arrested when he was about to board a Jeddah-bound Gulf Airlines flight. The authorities also seized the heroin.

The sources said during the preliminary interrogation, the accused revealed that he was paid Rs50,000 by a drug baron for a single trip to Saudi Arabia. He told the investigators that it was his third trip.