KARACHI: Acting upon credible information that huge quantity of foreign origin Charas is being smuggled through a Toyota Corolla Car, the staff of Directorate of Intelligence & Investigation, Quetta signaled the said car to stop near Baloki Check Post, Butims University Quetta, but the driver attempted to speed away.

Thereupon, the staff chased the speeding car. Noticing that staff vehicle is chasing the Car, the driver abruptly escaped. The Car was brought to the office of the Directorate of Intelligence & Investigation, Quetta.

A thorough search was conducted in the presence of independent witnesses which led to the recovery of 220 Kgs of Charas concealed beneath the floor and Dashboard/seats of the vehicle. No registration book was recovered during the search of said car. It is imperative to acknowledge the appreciable role of Intelligence Officer Shabbir Ahmed and sepoy Baz Muhammad in the subject case.

The approximate value of the seized charas is Rs20 million in the international market.

Director Quetta Irfan Javed could not be contacted for his comments.

Pakistan Customs along with the assistance of law enforcement agencies and paramilitary forces has launched a grand operation against smuggling.

Pakistan is faced with multiple threats and enemies abroad have been chalking out various designs to derail the economy and peace in the country. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is also being targeted. In order to foil the nefarious designs, Customs and FC are convinced that stopping the funding to terrorist elements was a pre-requisite, hence a grand campaign against smuggling is underway.

Smuggling causes collateral damage to the country as on one hand it adversely affects the local industry and legitimate traders and on the other hand, terrorists and anti-social elements are funded through the money made with this dirty business.