LAHORE: The Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) has taken four more employees of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) into custody in connection with a failed bid to smuggle heroin to Dubai from Lahore.

An official source told Dawn on Wednesday that the ANF had detained four more PIA employees in connection with its investigation into the failed bid to smuggle 6kg heroin. “However none of the detainees has been charged with the crime so far,” he said.

Earlier, the ANF had taken 13 employees of the national flag carrier in custody. Some of them have been released after nothing was established against them.

A PIA flight was to leave for Dubai last Saturday from the Allama Iqbal International Airport when the ANF received information that a huge quantity of heroin was being smuggled through the flight.

ANF personnel searched the plane and recovered 6kg heroin (worth over Rs60 million) from toilet of the aircarft.

The PIA said strict action would be taken against those found involved in the crime.

Published in Dawn, August 4th, 2016