RAWALPINDI: The Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) claims to have seized 3.1 tons of narcotics, arrested eight suspected drug smugglers and taken into custody five vehicles in eight operations across the country.

According to its press release, the ANF has carried out eight successful operations in Faisalabad, Lahore, Khanewal, Hyderabad and Pishin and seized a huge quantity of drugs, including 2.6 tons of opium, 606kg of charas and 2kg of heroin.

Most of the seized drugs were destined for abroad. The value of the seized drugs is about Rs5.75 billion in the international market.

In Quetta, ANF’s intelligence led to an operation in which 2,558kg of opium was seized. The drug was contained in 85 boxes of apples and was hidden at an uninhabited site in a mountainous area of Killi Sardar Kamal Khan in Bashore tehsil of Pishin district. The drug was destined for abroad and was ready for handing over to a gang for its onward transportation via Pasni.

Most of the seized drugs were destined for abroad

An ANF team from Lahore seized a truck (No LES-3151) on the Khanewal-Bahawalpur road in Jahanian tehsil of Khanewal district. During search of the vehicle the team found 280kg of charas.

Two suspected drug smugglers — Syed Aqeel Anjam and Mohammad Akram — were taken into custody. The drug was being smuggled to Sindh.

In another operation, an ANF team from Lahore intercepted a car (No LED-7605) on the Khanewal-Bahawalpur road in Jahanian tehsil of Khanewal district. During search the team found 237.6kg of charas and 5kg of opium from secret cavities in the car.

Two suspected drug smugglers — Shah Abid Khan Afridi and Syed Mohammad Zahir Shah — were taken into custody. The drug was being transported to Sindh.

The team intercepted yet another car (No LA-975) on the Khanewal-Bahawalpur road and during search found 78kg of charas concealed in secret cavities of the car. Walayat Khan, who was driving the car, was arrested. The drug was being taken to Sindh.

In an operation near the main Motorway Interchange in Faisalabad, the ANF’s Lahore team intercepted a car (No W-6404) and during search found 7.2kg of charas and 1.2kg of opium concealed in it.

A suspected drug smuggler, Farmanullah Khan, was taken into custody. He was going to Faisalabad to deliver the drug. After initial investigations, one Rasheed Ahmed was also arrested near the Post Office in Faisalabad.

Acting on a tip-off, ANF personnel in Lahore intercepted a parcel of DHL in the cargo office of the city’s Allama Iqbal International Airport. The personnel found 960 grams of heroin concealed in a badminton racket packed in the parcel.

Published in Dawn, September 22nd , 2014