QUETTA, Feb 15: Customs authorities have seized 5,000 bottles of liquor and 1,512 cans of beer from a motorboat after an armed encounter in the deep sea north of Gwadar on Saturday.

Sources said that acting on a tip-off Customs officials intensified patrolling the deep sea and spotted a launch. On seeing them the smugglers in the motorboat opened fire which was responded, the sources added.

After half-an-hour fire exchange the smugglers fled using a speedboat.

The Customs staff took the launch into their custody and seized over 5,000 bottles of fine quality foreign liquor, a motorbike and 1,512 cans of beer.