05 July 2004	Monday	16 Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1425

LAHORE, July 4: The Punjab Anti Narcotics Force on Sunday claimed to have seized 4,010 kilograms of superior quality hashish worth around Rs350 million.

Speaking at a press conference, ANF commander Brig Ashfaqur Rasheed Khan said his teams had got information that a huge drug consignment was due to be smuggled from Lahore to abroad.

The commander said all possible routes like the Lahore Airport and dry port were deployed with special teams. He said all containers at the dry port were scanned and searched for three days. Mr Khan said one of the containers was found suspicious when checked through metal detectors and sniffer dogs.

Rice in the containers were off-loaded, he said and added that his teams recovered the drug from a hidden portion. The force commander said the consignment had been booked by a company, Crescent Traders of Gujranwala. One Ali Haider had got it booked, he said.

The consignment was planned to be smuggled to the Netherlands. Mr Khan said raids were conducted in Lahore and Gujranwala for the arrest of the accused. However, he said all entries made by the company turned out to be fake. He added that a clearing agent, Muhammad Razzak, had been taken into custody for questioning.