ISLAMABAD: In a bid to curb cross-border smuggling, the federal government has directed Customs field formations to launch an intensified crackdown on illicit trade and narcotics trafficking along the porous borders with Afghanistan and Iran.

Acting on the orders, the Customs Enforcement Collectorate in Quetta intercepted a truck near Noshki and seized 300kg of crystal methamphetamine — commonly known as “ice” — concealed in a modified fuel tank, valuing the haul at Rs18.67 billion.

Customs Officials confirmed the seizure as part of efforts to dismantle transnational smuggling networks operating in the region.

In an official announcement, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) said that acting on information provided by the Collector Customs (Enforcement) in Quetta and communicated through the additional collector, the Field Enforcement Unit (FEU) in Noshki stopped a six-wheeler truck having registration number TKR-313 (Lasbela) coming from Taftan towards Quetta.

Customs seizes ‘ice’ worth Rs18.67bn near Noshki

Upon thorough search of the vehicle, a modified fuel tank fitted beneath the rear body of the truck was discovered. Detailed examination of the tank led to the recovery of suspicious goods contained in the boxes covered with plastic bags. Two people present in the vehicle could not provide any satisfactory answer pertaining to the substance.

Upon inquiry by the staff, they introduced themselves as Babul and Amin Baloch, both residents of the Hoshab tehsil of Kech district.

The FEU staff brought the boxes and vehicle inside the unit’s premises. Examination of the boxes yielded the recovery of 300kg of ice valued at Rs18.67bn. The FIR has been lodged along with the arrest of two individuals.

This is the second-biggest drug seizure in the last week. On Oct 22, Pakistan Navy Ship Yarmook seized over $972 million worth of narcotics in the Arabian Sea during the operation Al Masmak on Oct 22. Officials said the back-to-back seizures underscore a troubling surge in smuggling attempts.

At the same time, the Collectorate of Customs Appraisement (West) in Karachi has uncovered and blocked multiple attempts to illegally import Indian-origin goods into Pakistan. The consignments were misdeclared to conceal their true country of origin, in clear violation of the Import Policy Order.

Separately, on Oct 20, the Collectorate of Customs (Enforcement) in Multan reported the seizure of smuggled goods valued at Rs481.95m during the first 17 days of the current month.

The smuggled goods seizure reached to Rs113bn in 2024-25 from Rs106bn over the previous year, reflecting a hefty increase. Narcotics seizures, which peaked at Rs18bn in 2021-22, have remained elevated at Rs13bn to Rs14bn annually.

These seizures represent only a fraction of actual smuggling activity. Law enforcement typically intercepts an estimated 10 to 20 per cent of illicit flows. If seizures have doubled, actual smuggling volumes have likely increased proportionally.

Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2025