Flying ‘high’: Stash of heroin found on PIA plane

Customs cell finds five kilogrammes of the drug in toilet of London-bound aircraft.

KARACHI:

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) was caught on the wrong side of the law on Friday after five kilogrammes of heroin were found from the toilet of a plane bound for London.

The Drug Enforcement Cell of the Pakistan Customs at the Jinnah International Airport Karachi recovered five kilogrammes of heroin from flight PK-787 scheduled to depart for London.

“The heroin was found during a routine check of the aircraft, conducted with the help of sniffer dogs,” said Qamar Thalo, a spokesperson for Pakistan Customs.

He said the aircraft had arrived from Lahore on Thursday afternoon, and was brought for maintenance to the hangar for 24 hours.

He added that the aircraft was scheduled for London, but staffers conducted a routine check prior to departure and found the illegal substance.

Investigators were unable to ascertain whether the culprits were planning to traffic the drug to London, or had moved it from Lahore to Karachi, however, an FIR has been lodged and an investigation is under way.

“Crew members will be questioned, and anyone found involved, will be arrested,” the spokesperson said. On the other hand, PIA officials have also initiated an inquiry to determine how the heroin was present in the aircraft, and who was involved behind it.

“It is yet to be determined how the heroin reached the aircraft of the national flag carrier, as there was not a single crew member or passenger during the pre-boarding inspection of the aircraft,” PIA spokesperson Mashood Tajwar said while talking to The Express Tribune, adding that investigations were in progress.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 19^th, 2013.