Over 5m Africa-bound tablets worth Rs2.8b seized in Karachi

KARACHI: Pakistan Customs has seized 5.6 million tablets worth Rs 2.8 billion, which were being smuggled to Africa, ARY News reported.

According to Deputy Collector Muhammad Raza Naqvi, the tablets, used in the production of narcotics, were concealed in a container at Port Qasim in Karachi.

He said that the tablets were declared as “Towel Fabric” to evade detection. However, the Anti-Smuggling Squad intercepted the container before it was loaded onto a ship.

The seized tablets are banned in several countries due to their use in the production of narcotics.

On February 26, customs officials seized medicines worth Rs. 10 billion from a warehouse in Korangi. The confiscated stock included painkillers and capsules from seven different brands.

DRAP sources revealed that the seized medicines were of Indian origin. Further investigations are underway.

Earlier, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Anti-Corruption Circle Islamabad conducted a crackdown against elements and arrested two individuals involved in the sale of fake and unregistered medicines.

According to FIA spokesperson, a suspect, Mazhar Qeebbal, allegedly involved in the sale of fake and unregistered medicines from a medical store situated in the Diplomatic Enclave Islamabad has been arrested.

The spokesperson stated that this arrest follows the recent detention of two suspects from the same medical store last week.

During that raid, counterfeit and unregistered drugs were seized by FIA officials.