22 January 2004	Thursday	29 Ziqa'ad 1424

ISLAMABAD, Jan 21: The National Highway and Motorway Police have seized 20.5 maunds charas and 31kg opium in two separate incidents, a spokesman for the Motorway police said on Wednesday.

Police spokesman Javed Chaudhary said patrol officer Najib Akram and senior patrolling officer Hamid Nawaz found a vehicle parked on the motorway. When the officers checked the vehicle, they found a man sitting inside. He told the officers that the tyre of the car had punctured, and his friend had gone to get it repaired.

When the other person returned with the tyre and opened the door of the car, the officers saw some packets and, on searching, found 12.5 maunds charas and 31kg opium. The culprits tried to escape but were apprehended.

In another incident, two patrolling officers found contraband in a damaged car on the motorway. The people, present on the scene, said the car had met an accident, and the four persons sitting in it had escaped. On searching the vehicle, the officers found eight maunds charas, a pistol, two magazines, 20 bullets and four fake number plates.