PESHAWAR: The Peshawar police and the provincial excise and taxation directorate on Wednesday claimed two major drug hauls, recovering 44 kilogrammes of heroin and 266kgs of charas, respectively.

The city police’s narcotics eradication team (NET) said they busted a heroin factory operating in the city’s posh Hayatabad neighbourhood and recovered 44kg of the contraband.

A police statement said the Hayatabad police personnel and a NET team jointly raided the heroin factory.

The police also arrested eight persons and seized the equipment used in preparation and distribution of the drug.

The police identified the suspects as Mohammad Rafiq, Gulab Hussain, Mohammad Tahir, Allah Ditta, Saddam, Ali Sher, Nasir and Naqas Ali. They, according to the police, belonged to Punjab and Khyber.

Besides, the police also recovered two vehicles used to smuggle drugs. The police said the suspects planned to smuggle heroin to Punjab.

Separately, directorate of excise and taxation said its Kohat office and a special squad of the narcotics control wing seized 266kgs of charas hidden in a compartment made in the floor of a truck parked on the roadside unoccupied, according to a statement. A case was registered at the excise police station, Peshawar region.

Published in Dawn, March 17th, 2022