RAWALPINDI, June 26: The customs authorities destroyed 444 kg drugs and 1,446 bottles of liquor to observe the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit trafficking on Sunday.

The department had confiscated 356 kg charas, 64 kg heroin and 24 kg opium in addition to the 1,446 bottles of liquor and a large quantity of banned medicines.

Packed in bundles, the drugs were burnt publicly while the bottles of liquor, banned medicines and a large quantity of expired soft drinks were destroyed with the help of a bulldozer.

Besides liaison officers of different countries, collector customs Imtiaz Ahmed Khan, member customs FBR Mumtaz Haider Rizvi, additional collector Zahid Baig and deputy collector customs Kokab Farooq were present on the occasion.Speaking on the occasion, Mr Rizvi termed the increase in trafficking of drugs from African countries and Afghanistan ‘alarming’.

He said trade of cocaine from African countries was worth $85 billion while that of opium from Afghanistan amounted to $61 billion.

He attributed the increase in the illicit trafficking of drugs to the poor economic conditions.

He said though it was not possible for the law enforcement agencies and customs to keep a check on the long and porous border, the trouble actually started from poppy fields in Afghanistan.

To a question regarding the complaints of corruption at Benazir Bhutto International Airport customs, he said the authorities had been doing their best to check such complaints and bring the guilty to justice.

The collector customs on the occasion said coordinated efforts by people from all walks of life were needed to check the menace of drugs.