KARACHI, Oct 18: The drug enforcement cell (DEC) of Pakistan Customs on Tuesday seized 16 kilos of fine quality heroin concealed in a huge consignment of mechanical gears at the airport.

The consignment was destined for Sri Lanka.

During the routine clearance of passengers, the DEC staff intercepted a passenger, Syed Akhtar Hussain Qadri, 41, as he was leaving the international departure hall of the Jinnah International Airport to board a Colombo-bound Air Lanka flight (UL-184).

The passenger, said to be a frequent traveller, was carrying a huge consignment of mechanical gears, covered with a thick film of black grease and packed in four large bags, according to a handout.

While normally goods meant for export do not look so dirty and greased, the condition of the consignment caused the customs staff to dismantle and examine one piece.

When the gear was finally dismantled, though with a great difficulty, it emerged that heroin had been concealed inside its hollow cavity, the handout said.

The entire consignment was subjected to a thorough search, which required special arrangements for cutting metallic parts of the gears to retrieve the heroin.

The exercise resulted in recovery of 16 kilos of fine quality heroin from 520 mechanical gears, the handout added.

The narcotics were seized and the passenger was arrested in a case registered at the investigation and prosecution section of Pakistan Customs under the Control of Narcotics Substances Act, 1997.