KOHAT, May 6: Police busted a gang of smugglers of non-custom paid vehicles on Rawalpindi road near College Town here on Sunday.

Officials said that on a tip-off the police signalled a Toyota Hiace van going from Bannu to Peshawar, but the driver sped the vehicle away. Later, a police mobile stopped the van having a fake number (RLE-8419) at some distance and arrested five members of the gang.

The accused, who belonged to Bannu district, told police that the vehicle had crossed into Bannu from Afghanistan and was being taken to Peshawar for sale. The alleged gang leader, Hidayatullah, was accompanied by his brother Alamzeb, and Safeerullah, Khurshid and Raza Khan, who were disguised as passengers.

The officials said that a case had been registered against the five accused by Riaz Khan police station. The police claimed that during preliminary investigations the accused had admitted to having smuggled several vehicles to various cities of the country. Meanwhile, police foiled an attempt of car jacking in Lachi tehsil on Sunday.

The Lachi police was informed that a car (FDA-3705) had been taken away along with its driver at gunpoint. The police managed to stop the car near Takht on Darpati road. They also arrested an alleged car lifter hailing from Badnikhel area of Lakki Marwat. A case has been registered on the complaint of the car driver.