ISLAMABAD: The Airport Security Force (ASF) seized 5.448 kilograms of heroin concealed in ihram of a passenger at the Islamabad International Airport.
The ASF officials have arrested the passenger, who was going to Saudi Arabia for Umrah pilgrimage. The suspect had cleverly hidden the narcotics in Ihram.
The suspect had soaked three ihrams with a solution of heroin, which was detected during examination of the clothes.
ASF has handed over the suspect to Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) for further action. Reports said the drug absorbed by the garments will be extracted through an ANF chemical process ASF had seized 2.433 kilogrammes of crystal meth concealed in ihram — the plain clothing worn by Muslims on Hajj or Umrah pilgrimages.
The passenger, Rizwan Haider, who was travelling to Dubai, had cleverly hidden the narcotics in his clothes, Ihram, towels, and waistcoats.
According to an ASF spokesperson, the mentioned quantity of drugs was recovered by carefully examining the clothes. The remaining ice drug absorbed by the garments will be extracted through an ANF chemical process.
After the initial investigation, the suspect, along with the seized narcotics, has been handed over to the ANF for further legal action.
Last year, the ANF had recovered drugs worth over Rs34 billion, concealed in rosewater bottles, at the Karachi International Containers Terminal.
The 1,086 litres of Ketamine – a cocaine-like narcotic – were set to be smuggled to Dubai, before being seized during a joint action by the ANF intelligence and port control units.
The personnel confiscated the container with 2,172 bottles concealed in cosmetics items, and launched an investigation.
According to ANF, the narcotics had been booked for Dubai by a Karachi-based company, and that raids were underway to nab the main culprit behind the smuggling attempt.
