KARACHI - Customs officials on Tuesday claimed to have foiled a bid to smuggle narcotics and also recovered drugs worth millions of rupees. It said it had arrested those carrying the narcotics.

This was disclosed during a press conference held by Chief Collector Enforcement, District South of Customs Mohammed Zahid Khokar and Collector Preventive Dr Saifuddin Junejo at Custom House on Tuesday.  

Customs officials said that in a drive launched against the menace of narcotics smuggling, the staff of anti-smuggling organisation, Model Customs Collectorate of Preventive, Karachi posted at Customs Choke point at RCD highway foiled a smuggling bid. “A team of Customs has recovered eleven kilogrammes contraband narcotics -heroin valuing Rs115 million,” said Zahid Khokhar, while addressing a press conference.

“The drug was recovered from a passenger, Nadeem Raheem, travelling on Al-Yousuf Coach, en-route from Quetta to Karachi,” he elaborated.

He said that the contraband heroin was recovered from 11 polyethylene bags; each containing one kilogrammes of heroin, from the luggage of the arrested passenger, adding that driver of the bus, Usman Afzal and conductor, Salal Ahmed, were also arrested. The officials further said that as per received information, a passenger carrying contraband heroin would board the bus during transit from Quetta to Karachi. “It was further divulged in the information that he would disembark the bus prior to Customs check post and would use as an alternate transport to enter Karachi,” they informed.

Case was registered and further investigations are underway.