Ashrafuddin Pirzada
TORKHAM: Torkham customs authorities foiled a bid and seized semi-precious stones at the Torkham border on Thursday, official sources said.
Acting upon credible information, customs appraisal staff at the import terminal in Torkham stopped a truck (KBL-2576) loaded with soapstone.
The sources said that the semi-precious stones, worth millions, were concealed inside soapstone.
Customs Appraisal staff said the seized precious stones were spodumene or lithium ore that was tried to be smuggled from Afghanistan to Pakistan.
24 cartons weighing 30 kilogrammes were packed with semi-precious stones. According to officials, the seized precious stones were worth about Rs 4.5 million on the open market. An FIR has been filed, and further investigation has begun.
