TAXILA: The Punjab Food Department on Monday foiled an attempt to smuggle 15 tonnes of wheat flour at the inter-provincial checkpost on GT Road near Wah Garden.

Briefing journalists, District Food Controller Rawalpindi Azhar Abbas said the operation was carried out by the department’s enforcement team during routine checking of vehicles entering Punjab.

Acting on suspicion, officials stopped a container that was ostensibly transporting commercial goods. A detailed inspection led to the recovery of around 15 tonnes of wheat flour allegedly concealed under the guise of other items to evade official scrutiny.

Mr Abbas said the successful operation was made possible due to the vigilance of the checkpost in-charge, who detected discrepancies between the shipping documents and the declared cargo, leading to the seizure of the concealed flour consignment before it could enter Punjab. He said the transportation of the flour violated the government’s inter-provincial regulations governing the movement of wheat and flour. Such illegal trade, he added, disrupts the regulated supply chain, encourages black marketing and hoarding, and adversely affects the availability of flour for consumers.

The seized flour, belonging to different flour mills in Lahore district, has been taken into official custody, while the container has been impounded for further investigation.

Published in Dawn, July 21st, 2026