KARACHI, Jan 5: The Anti Narcotics Force, Sindh seized 17kg heroin from a vehicle and arrested the driver near Sohrab Goth on Super Highway.

The ANF release said on Thursday that the force commander had received information that heroin powder in a huge quantity had been shifted to Karachi that would be smuggled out of the country.

One of the special teams suspected a pickup KM-2790 near Al-Asif Square in the Sohrab Goth area and tried to stop it but the suspects resorted to firing and tried to drive towards Hyderabad. The ANF team chased the vehicle and burst its tyres near a petrol pump.

One of the accused said to be Khusrang, managed to escape taking cover of the firing however the driver Mohammad Azam was arrested with 17kg heroin in the vehicle.

The ANF has lodged the firing case at Gulzar-i-Hijri police station and further investigations are under way.

In another release, ANF Sindh said it seized 7,422kg narcotics and registered 138 cases during the year 2005. This includes 7,180kg hashish, 222kg heroin, 20kg opium. It arrested 144 accused in these cases.

According to ANF, Sindh 190 accused were convicted last year in drug cases.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Coast Guards arrested two drug smugglers and recovered 10kg heroin from a vehicle at Uthal check post, Balochistan.

PCG spokesman Major Shahid Mehmood, General Staff Officer (Operations) told newsmen at a briefing here on Thursday.

Highlighting the achievements made by the PCG during the year 2005, he said that as compared to the previous five years, the PCG had made a historic record of narcotic seizure.

Two heroin traffickers arrested from Uthal were identified as Mohammad Zareef s/o Maheen Khan and M. Wali s/o Altaf Mohammad both residents of Chaghi district.

The PCG officer added that 7,324kg hashish, 15kg heroin, 77kg opium, 12,397 bottles of foreign liquor, 29 vehicles, 38 camels were seized and 316 illegal immigrants were arrested during 2005.—PPI