ISLAMABAD: The Customs officials have seized 1,200 kg of crushed poppy heads from a mini truck (LES 08-7143) at Sangjani toll plaza on GT Road. This is said to be biggest raid in the department’s history.
The drugs were being smuggled into Pakistan from Afghanistan. The raw material is used to prepare heroin and morphine. The price of the seized poppy is Rs 5.5 million in the local market.
According to details, the Model Customs Collectorate Islamabad Additional Collector Abdul Waheed Marwat and Preventive Division Assistant Collector Yawar Nawaz received a tip-off that crushed poppy heads were being smuggled into Pakistan from Afghanistan via Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A raiding team was formed under Deputy Superintendent Zargam Dil. The team searched a Mazda truck near Islamabad toll plaza at 9am and seized 1,200 kg crushed poppy heads.
An FIR No 40/2014 has been registered against Muhammad Mazhar s/o Sony and Muhammad Aslam s/o Allah Data. Both arrested accused are residents of Sargodha. The drugs and vehicle worth Rs 6.4 million have been seized.
Later, the drug samples were sent to the National Health Laboratory (NIH). An NIH report read that the seized drugs contained morphine.
Yawar Nawaz told Customs Today that only an experienced team could identify drugs in the crushed form as they look like fodder. He praised the raiding team for doing a great job.
During initial interrogation, the accused said they had taken livestock to Peshawar and some people there told them to take the drugs on their way back. However, they failed to prove their statements. The accused will be presented before a judicial magistrate for physical remand.
