From LED lights to halva and nimco: ANF busts attempts to smuggle drugs

The Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) carried out a nationwide crackdown against drug trafficking, arresting suspects in 10 operations and thwarting multiple attempts to smuggle narcotics abroad through courier services and airports, where drugs were concealed inside LED lights, cartons of gloves, packets of halva and nimco, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Monday.

Overall, 12 suspects were arrested and 193.57 kilograms of narcotics worth more than Rs30.5 million were seized during these operations.

At a courier office in Rawalpindi, ANF intercepted a parcel destined for Saudi Arabia and recovered 58.5 kilograms of crystal meth (Ice) concealed inside LED lights.

At Quetta Airport, officials recovered 3.47 kilograms of Xanax tablets hidden inside packets of halwa and nimco from the luggage of a passenger travelling to Riyadh.

At the Lahore Airport Cargo Shed, ANF seized 3 kilograms of heroin concealed inside cartons of gloves from a parcel destined for the United Kingdom.

In an operation near Sangjani Toll Plaza, ANF recovered 43.2 kilograms of hashish from a vehicle and arrested three suspects.

Near the Islamabad Toll Plaza, authorities seized 28.8 kilograms of hashish from two vehicles and arrested two suspects.

Near Sher Shah Toll Plaza in Multan, ANF recovered 24 kilograms of hashish from a vehicle and arrested two suspects.

On the National Highway near Hyderabad, two suspects were arrested after ANF recovered 9.6 kilograms of hashish from their possession near a hotel.

At a cargo office in Shamali Market, Peshawar, ANF recovered 500 grams of crystal meth (Ice) concealed inside an electric stove in a parcel.

Separate cases have been registered under the Control of Narcotic Substances Act, 1997, and further investigations are underway, according to an ANF spokesperson.

Reporter: Ershad Qureshi