QUETTA: In a significant operation underscoring the customs authorities’ intensified crackdown on smuggling, a major attempt to smuggle narcotics worth approximately Rs. 44.6 crore was foiled at the Pakistan-Iran Taftan border.
According to official sources, the intelligence-led operation was set in motion by Chief Collector of Customs (Appraisement) Balochistan, Irfan Ur Rehman. The directive was passed down to Collector of Customs, Jameel Baloch, who then tasked Additional Collector Kaleemullah and his team with the execution.
Acting on the received intelligence, the team from the Collectorate of Customs Taftan conducted a thorough inspection of a container at the border terminal. The search led to the recovery of 620 cartons containing a massive haul of 11.16 million Iranian-made Methadone Hydrochloride tablets (40mg), a powerful and addictive opioid.
During the operation, officials apprehended a suspect identified as Sikandar Hayat on the spot. He was allegedly in the process of transferring the illicit consignment to a private vehicle for further distribution.
Initial investigations reveal that the accused has confessed to the crime and identified the owner of the narcotics as Haji Amanullah, an importer from Taftan who is already facing multiple customs fraud cases. A second accomplice, identified as Aasim, managed to flee the scene.
A case has been registered against the suspects under the Control of Narcotic Substances Act, 1997, and a manhunt is underway to arrest the fleeing individual.
This successful interdiction highlights the Customs department’s renewed and strict control mechanisms, particularly at key points like the National Logistics Cell (NLC) in Quetta and the Taftan border, targeting both smuggling and appraisement fraud. The seamless coordination from the top leadership to the field team proved critical in neutralizing this smuggling network and preventing a large quantity of dangerous drugs from reaching the streets.