Ashrafuddin Pirzada
KHYBER: Customs Intelligence and Frontier Corps (North)on Tuesday conducted a major operation against drug trafficking in the district Khyber and seized drugs worth Rs.320 million, officials said.
Custom Intelligence Deputy Director Amanat Khan said weapons were also recovered from the arrested persons.
He said that Director General Customs Intelligence and Investigation Islamabad, Ali Raza Hanjra had received intelligence reports indicating that a large quantity of drugs and weapons would be smuggled from Afghanistan into Pakistan through the remote Tirah Valley in the Khyber district.
He said the information was shared with the Director of Customs Intelligence Peshawar, Shafqat Ali Khan, who conducted further investigations and exchanged all relevant details with Frontier Corps(North) officials in the Khyber district.
Amanat said following a joint strategy, customs Intelligence and FC personnel set up secret checkpoints in various areas in Tirah Valley, close to the Afghan border.
He added that during the operation, two suspects were arrested while trying to smuggle a significant quantity of drugs disguised as labourers. He said they recovered 300 kilograms of high-quality hashish, 2.5 kilograms of opium and various types of weapons. The suspects were charged and the seized drugs were transferred to Customs House Peshawar, he said.
According to customs officials, the international market value of the seized drugs is Rs.320 million while the value of the seized weapons is still being determined. Further investigation is ongoing, officials said.
It is noteworthy that on April 8, Customs Intelligence in collaboration with FC North had seized drugs worth Rs.300 million in the Khyber district. The Frontier Corps North and customs officials remain committed to continuing their joint efforts against drug trafficking. The investigation also revealed that drug smugglers use their earnings to support terrorist organizations which negatively impacts the country’s peace and security.
Amanat Khan said a month and a half ago a joint operation in the Tirah Valley resulted in the seizure of drugs worth Rs,300 million.
