Rawalpindi  -    Director General (DG) Anti Narcotics Force (ANF) has ordered an inquiry into the alleged incident of smuggling of the heroin-filled bridal dress by a passenger to United Kingdom (UK) from New Islamabad International Airport (NIIAP) on January 19, 2019, informed sources on Friday.

The ANF investigators, on the other hand, have allowed the suspected drug racket kingpin Raja Yousaf to go home after grilling him for more than two hours besides recording his statement, they added.

According to sources, DG ANF Maj Gen Arif Malik has taken stern action on a news item published in Daily The Nation about smuggling of the heroin-filled bridal dress by a passenger in national flag carrier that flown from NIIAP to Birmingham and ordered Commander Enforcement to inquire the matter in detail. Following the directives of DG, the Commander Enforcement, who is a brigadier, has begun the investigation into the matter.

 of huge concern, sources said adding that the investigators would obtain CCTV footage of the day the passenger along with his wife jetted off to the UK from NIIAP.

They said the ANF staff on duty on January 19, 2019, would also be questioned during the investigation. Sources claimed the ANF investigators may expand the sphere of the investigation by contacting the British anti-smuggling authorities in the UK to ascertain as to how the passenger managed to slip out from Birmingham airport while carrying the heroin-filled bridal dress.

The family of Chaudhry Usman, currently residing in the UK, may also be included in the investigation by ANF through British anti-smuggling authorities, sources said.

Meanwhile, the investigators had permitted the suspected smuggler Raja Yousaf to go home after recording his statement in Police Station ANF at Gulzar-e-Quaid. In his statement, Raja Yousaf told investigators he had been roped in the case by his opponents with alleged nexus of Chaudhry Sajid, the complainant, sources informed.

 Sources said ANF would summon the accused after collecting all the pieces of evidence and a case might be registered against him.

Similarly, the fact-finding committee, constituted by CPO Abbas Ahsan, has also started its work by summoning ASP Gujar Circle and his subordinates to investigators as to why the police made delay in filing case against Raja Yousaf on the complaint of Chaudhry Sajid. Sources believed that Inspector General of Police may take stern action against ASP Gujar Khan and SHO for taking the side of the suspected smuggler.

It may be noted Raja Yousaf is facing charges of handing over the heroin-filled bridal dress and a jacket to a man Chaudhry Usman to bring to the UK for brother in law of his (Yousaf) nephew Imran. However, Usman took the bridal dress to the UK while leaving the jacket behind after Customs asked him to drop some baggage due to extra weight.