Karachi Customs Seizes 212kg Hashish Worth Over Rs400 Million
KARACHI, PAKISTAN — WEB DESK: Pakistan Customs has seized 212 kilograms of hashish valued at more than Rs400 million during an anti-smuggling operation on Karachi’s Lyari Expressway, officials said Wednesday.
According to Collector Customs Enforcement Fareed Khan, authorities received intelligence that a car travelling from Quetta was allegedly transporting a large consignment of narcotics to Karachi.
Officials said the drugs were allegedly intended for distribution not only in Karachi but also in other cities across interior Sindh.
Following the intelligence alert, Customs Enforcement increased surveillance along the Lyari Expressway in an attempt to intercept the suspected vehicle.
Suspected Car Intercepted Near Isa Nagri
The operation intensified when a Customs team identified the suspected vehicle near the Isa Nagri Interchange and attempted to stop it.
According to Customs officials, the occupants did not comply and instead tried to flee.
A pursuit followed, during which the suspected car collided with a Customs vehicle. Officials further alleged that people travelling in accompanying pilot vehicles opened fire on the Customs team.
Despite the alleged gunfire, Customs personnel managed to stop and secure the suspected car.
No Customs casualties were reported in the source account.
212 One-Kilogram Packages Recovered
A subsequent search of the vehicle led officials to the major narcotics discovery.
Customs said officers found 212 packages of hashish in the car’s trunk, with each package weighing approximately one kilogram.
The total seizure therefore weighed 212 kilograms.
Collector Customs Enforcement Fareed Khan put the estimated value of the seized narcotics at more than Rs400 million.
The valuation is attributed to Customs authorities and should be treated as an official estimate rather than an independently established market price.
Drugs Allegedly Smuggled From Quetta
Customs officials said preliminary information indicated that the consignment had been transported from Quetta.
Authorities believe the shipment was destined for Karachi before being distributed to different locations in the city and other parts of Sindh.
The case highlights the continuing challenge faced by Pakistani law-enforcement agencies in tackling interprovincial narcotics trafficking routes linking Balochistan with Karachi and other major urban centres.
However, authorities have not yet publicly disclosed further details about the alleged trafficking network behind this particular consignment.
Suspects Escape During Operation
Despite successfully intercepting the vehicle and recovering the drugs, Customs personnel were unable to arrest the occupants.
Officials said the suspects escaped by taking advantage of darkness during the nighttime operation.
Authorities have now launched efforts to identify and locate the fugitives.
Investigators are also examining the circumstances surrounding the alleged gunfire from the pilot vehicles and the role of anyone who may have assisted the suspects.
No names or identities of the wanted individuals were disclosed in the initial report.
Safe City Cameras Being Used to Trace Suspects
Customs officials said investigators are seeking assistance from Karachi’s Safe City camera network to track the suspects who escaped.
Footage from surveillance cameras could potentially help investigators reconstruct the route taken by the vehicles before and after the interception.
Authorities have taken both the seized narcotics and the suspected vehicle into custody.
A formal case has also been registered, while further investigation and efforts to arrest those allegedly involved are continuing.
Major Anti-Smuggling Seizure in Karachi
The operation comes amid intensified efforts by Pakistani authorities against narcotics trafficking.
Earlier this month, a separate Karachi operation uncovered what authorities described as an international drug-smuggling network, with eight suspects arrested and 50kg of methamphetamine, or “ice,” seized. That operation involved the Karachi Task Force and a federal civilian intelligence agency.
In another recent case, Pakistan’s Anti-Narcotics Force said intelligence sharing with Sri Lankan authorities helped authorities seize a combined 671kg of methamphetamine at Karachi and Colombo ports in operations linked to an alleged international trafficking network.
Those cases are separate from Wednesday’s Lyari Expressway seizure.
Investigation Continues
The immediate focus of the Customs investigation is now on identifying the individuals who escaped and determining the wider network allegedly responsible for transporting the drugs.
Authorities are expected to examine the seized vehicle, surveillance footage and other available evidence to establish the route used by the suspects and identify potential accomplices.
As of the initial official account, no arrests had been announced in connection with the 212kg seizure.
The confirmed development is that Customs has taken possession of the vehicle and 212 kilograms of hashish, which officials estimate to be worth more than Rs400 million, while efforts to apprehend the suspects remain underway.
