SUKKUR: As many as 19 container-mounted long vehicles were intercepted along National Highway to seize nearly 20,000 bags of urea being smuggled to Afghanistan, according to the Shikarpur police.

They said the urea-laden vehicles had started their journey from different locations in the interior of Sindh and were intercepted in the jurisdictions of Mirpur Mathelo, Humayoon, Sultankot and other police stations while they were on their way to Afghanistan.

Giving details of the action, the police said that initially a trailer was intercepted at Jacobabad bypass and its consignment of 2,400 urea bags was seized to foil its smuggling to Afghanistan. The vehicle was also impounded, they added.

Similar actions were taken in the Humayoon, Sultankot, and Lodra police stations along the National Highway with the help of the intelligence agency to seize 17,500 urea bags being smuggled to Afghanistan by 18 vehicles, they said. Drivers of all impounded vehicles were arrested, said the police.

The seized urea stocks were sent to food department’s silos, they said.

Published in Dawn, September 27th, 2023