KARACHI, May 30: In an operation carried out in high seas with the help of international coalition, a launch loaded with two tons of hashish and heading towards African coastline was seized and 16 crew members were arrested. The launch was toed back to Karachi and handed over to Pakistan Maritime Security Agency which officially handed it over to Pakistan Customs (Preventive) Collectorate for investigations here on Monday.

According to the Customs official, the value of the seized hashish has been assessed at approximately US$3 million in the international market.

The operation was carried out in pursuant to some information received by the Preventive Collectorate of Customs regarding smuggling of huge quantity of drugs to African coast-line through Mekran Coast.

The boat was intercepted with 16 crew members on board and two tons of contraband was recovered from especially built cavities where it was artfully concealed. The launch was intercepted in high seas about 60 nautical miles away from Yemen, a customs official told APP.

He said that the launch had departed from Pasni on May 16 and it was cleared for fishing in high seas. He said all the crew members hailed from Balochistan.

Following the arrest and seizure, an FIR was lodged under the Control of Narcotics Substances Act, 1997 while further investigations are in progress. — APP