Police bust ‘international narcotics nexus’, arrest eight suspects in Karachi

Police in Karachi seized a significant amount of methamphetamine, also known as crystal meth or ice, and apprehended eight individuals as part of an intelligence-led operation targeting a warehouse in Mehran Town, Korangi, on Tuesday. DIG-West Irfan Ali Baloch, who oversees the Police Task Force on Narcotics, explained that the suspects were orchestrating an "international narcotics nexus" and were involved in trafficking drugs from Pakistan to Thailand and Malaysia.

The recovered 50kg of ice was valued at 80-90 crores rupees, and the seized consignment was reportedly intended to be exported, with an estimated weight of 200-250kg.

Baloch stated that the operation was initiated following reliable intelligence and coordinated with an intelligence agency, discovering that narcotics were being concealed within tile and marble crates at the warehouse. The task force, in collaboration with an intelligence agency, uncovered a covert plan to export drugs from Karachi to the Philippines under the guise of a legitimate consignment of tiles.

Baloch detailed that the suspects were preparing a major shipment of drugs for export in a container mislabeled as tiles. He further revealed that the drug trafficking routes extended from Karachi to the Philippines, with overseas handlers in South Africa and Thailand, which were linked to Karachi.

The DIG provided insight into the roles of the eight arrested suspects, with Nazir Soomro identified as the main accused responsible for procurement, concealment, and export of the drugs. Shahid Mastoi was responsible for warehouse management, Sheikh Khalid provided storage and banking channels for local transactions, Dr Noor Ahmed Khilji, an Afghan with a Pakistani CNIC, facilitated the supply from Balochistan, Garan Khan, also an Afghan with a Pakistani CNIC, assisted in the Balochistan supply, Abdullah known as Wahab served as a courier, Mohammed Kamran, another courier, is a police constable assigned to Malir, and Nasir acted as an intermediary and distributor.

Baloch emphasized that this network had both domestic and international connections, involving procurement, financing, concealment, and attempted export. He pointed out the use of legitimate trade channels, such as the marble consignment, to conceal the narcotics. Baloch cautioned that if the consignment had reached its destination, it could have caused significant reputational damage to Pakistan on an international level.

The task force, including the Special Investigation Unit (SIU), is continuing to investigate the suspects to uncover the full extent of the network, identify additional facilitators and beneficiaries, and trace the complete financial trail, including the use of cryptocurrency and local accounts. The investigation is also aimed at verifying the identities and roles of foreign handlers in Malaysia, Thailand, and South Africa, in coordination with other law enforcement agencies and international partners, to fully understand the international dimensions of this narcotics trafficking operation.