RAWALPINDI, Oct 5: Customs authorities at Benazir Bhutto International Airport on Friday foiled an attempt to smuggle over nine kilogrammes of heroin to Belgium and arrested the carrier along with another man.

Raids were underway to trace the second accomplice of the smuggler who according to the customs was the financer. Deputy Superintendent of Customs Sohail Qureshi said the check-in of passengers for Etihad Airways’ flight No EY-232 was in progress when the customs staff spotted a passenger acting suspiciously. The passenger, who was later identified as Mehr Ali Shah, was detained and asked for his baggage search that led to the recovery of the 9.20 kg heroin.

During preliminary investigation, the accused said he had been staying at a hotel near Faizabad along with another person. The customs staff asked the passenger to call the man to the airport, saying he would be released on his arrival. However, when he came to the airport, the authorities put both the men behind bars.

According to the customs officials, the passenger who was caught carrying the narcotics had recently arrived in Islamabad from a European country.—Staff Reporter