ISLAMABAD, March 11: The Special Investigation Cell of Anti Narcotics Force (ANF) on Sunday intercepted a consignment of 17kg of top-grade heroin and arrested three alleged smugglers including an Afghan from Bara Road near Peshawar.

Sources at the cell, which has a country-wide jurisdiction to operate, told Dawn here on Monday that Hazar Gul, a resident of Ulaswali Karghai in Lughman province of Afghanistan, was under surveillance for over a month.

The other two arrested were Sultan Muhammad of Momand Agency and Akhtar Munir of Khyber Agency.

“Hazar Gul with some Pakistani tribals was engaged in drugs smuggling, and their activities were being closely monitored by the ANF,” the sources said.

The cell, they said, had received information that the criminals were trying to smuggle the heroin from Afghanistan into Pakistan for transporting it to another country.

The ANF during an investigation found out that “the Afghan was travelling frequently from his country to the Pakistani tribal areas”. They launched an operation against the outlaws and during checking on a road near Peshawar intercepted a car and seized the contraband and arrested the culprits.

According to the sources, the Rs7.6-million heroin was concealed in Toyota Corolla, bearing registration no: LEV-6055.