Heroin haul worth $13.75m seized in Karachi: Officials
Customs official says second biggest heroin seizure in the history of Pakistan.
KARACHI:
Officials said on Friday that they had seized one of the largest ever hauls of heroin in Pakistan, impounding 125 kilograms of the narcotic worth an estimated $13.75 million on the international market.
The seizure is the largest since May last year when the authorities seized 375 kilograms of the drug.
The authorities examined a refrigerated container at Karachi port and found bags of heroin concealed by solution tape and balloons.
"All 5,400 bags were de-stuffed and thoroughly examined and we found 830 pouches each weighing between 145 grams to 155 grams. The total weight of heroin was 125 kilograms," Babar Ali Shah, a customs official told reporters.
"We have arrested the clearing agent and one of his employees," Shah said.
Officials said the heroin was smuggled from neighbouring Afghanistan through Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
"This is the second biggest heroin seizure in the history of Pakistan," another customs official Qamar Thalho said, putting the value of the stash at $0.55 million on the local market and $13.75 million on the international market.
He said the narcotic hidden in a container was booked for Malaysia.
Pakistan has more than four million drug addicts in a population of nearly 180 million, according to figures compiled by the ANF, which is responsible for investigating and prosecuting drug offences.
Opium poppy is grown on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
Pakistan has a 2,500-kilometre porous border with Afghanistan, which supplies 90% of the world's opium used to make heroin.
Officials said on Friday that they had seized one of the largest ever hauls of heroin in Pakistan, impounding 125 kilograms of the narcotic worth an estimated $13.75 million on the international market.
The seizure is the largest since May last year when the authorities seized 375 kilograms of the drug.
The authorities examined a refrigerated container at Karachi port and found bags of heroin concealed by solution tape and balloons.
"All 5,400 bags were de-stuffed and thoroughly examined and we found 830 pouches each weighing between 145 grams to 155 grams. The total weight of heroin was 125 kilograms," Babar Ali Shah, a customs official told reporters.
"We have arrested the clearing agent and one of his employees," Shah said.
Officials said the heroin was smuggled from neighbouring Afghanistan through Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
"This is the second biggest heroin seizure in the history of Pakistan," another customs official Qamar Thalho said, putting the value of the stash at $0.55 million on the local market and $13.75 million on the international market.
He said the narcotic hidden in a container was booked for Malaysia.
Pakistan has more than four million drug addicts in a population of nearly 180 million, according to figures compiled by the ANF, which is responsible for investigating and prosecuting drug offences.
Opium poppy is grown on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
Pakistan has a 2,500-kilometre porous border with Afghanistan, which supplies 90% of the world's opium used to make heroin.