RAWALPINDI, Jan 3: The Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) Rawalpindi recovered 40 per cent more narcotics in 2007 compared to the two preceding years besides arresting 256 Pakistanis and 38 foreigners.

Brigadier Asif Alvi, the regional director of ANF Rawalpindi, told a press conference here on Thursday that a new trend in narcotics smuggling had emerged in society in which women and children, and most of the time foreigners, were being used for drug trafficking.

Foreigners involved in drug trafficking are getting organised in big cities, he added.

He said 18 operations were conducted against drug trafficking organisations during 2007, which led to the recovery of 44.455 kg heroin, 85.800 kg charas and nine kg opium. Besides, the ANF also recovered 1.335 kg cocaine and 509 ecstasy tablets.

Brig Alvi said 256 Pakistanis and 38 foreigners (half of them Nigerians) were arrested and 35 vehicles impounded. Among the foreigners, two were from United Kingdom, 22 from Nigeria, four belonged to Tanzania, three to South Africa, one each was from Nepal, Canada, Oman, Zambia, Afghanistan, Guinea and Kenya.

The ANF foiled an attempt to smuggle 149 heroin-filled capsules from Islamabad to Dubai and rounded up three persons long with Abdul Latif, an official of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). He said Fakhra Tabinda, wife of Ali Guessan, along with their infant Aurangzeb were rounded up when they were checking in for a Bangkok-Kuala Lumpur flight. During search two kg heroin was recovered from their suitcase.

He said the ANF staff also arrested a woman smuggler, Lindie Martin, who belonged to South Africa when she was checking in for an Abdu Dhabi-Johannesburg flight at Islamabad airport. During search, 6.780 kg heroin was recovered from her purse and beauty box. He said five kg heroin was recovered from a bag which was dropped near Golra chowk by an unidentified person after seeing the ANF staff. Similarly, 2.7 kg heroin was recovered from a vehicle that was intercepted by the ANF staff near Hassanabdal.

He said the ANF staff intercepted a man, later identified as Hanif, and recovered four kg heroin from his possession.

Brig Alvi said the ANF staff raided a house in G-9/4 and recovered seven kg heroin concealed in bedsheets lying in a suitcase of Amusa Silifat Olufunke, a Nigerian national, while her husband Lukman Tottnwa escaped.

He said Marian Unoma, another Nigerian, was arrested from Islamabad airport when she was checking in for a Dubai-Addis Ababa-Lagos flight. During search, 1.450 kg heroin was recovered from her suitcase.