EDITORIAL: Afghan opiates trade has become a serious challenge for law enforcers not only at the airports but also at the Wagah border crossing into Indian Punjab.
In October of last year, an unsuspecting Pakistani truck driver, a resident of Chaman, a city located near the Afghan border, carrying dry fruit under the Afghan-India transit trade protocol, was arrested by Indian authorities after seizing 435 grams of heroin hidden in the truck cargo.
Notably, although the vehicles belong to Afghans only Pakistani drivers are allowed to drive them across the border. Whilst the poor driver was handed over to Indian Narcotics Control Bureau for investigation, customs officials from both sides held a meeting to find ways of further strengthening checking and scanning procedures for Afghan trucks carrying goods to and from India.
Always a step ahead of customs authorities, drug traffickers have come up with a new method to carry on with their dirty business. Last week, a drone carrying six kilograms of heroin worth millions of rupees crashed into an agricultural field in Kahna area of Lahore. Curious villagers gathered around the drone and called the police.
Those involved in the stratagem would have succeeded but for the fact that the aerial vehicle they used for the criminal activity was loaded beyond capacity.
Investigations are under way to identify the operator(s) of the drone and determine its take-off location as well as its destination and those awaiting delivery of the illicit consignment — undoubtedly, on the other side of the border.
While exposing a new dimension added to drug trafficking, the incident underscores the threat drug mafias pose to inter-state security.
Questions also arise about the relevant law enforcement agencies. As per law, anyone wanting to own a drone needs to obtain a no-objection certificate from the Ministry of Defence. Yet, there seems to be no check on their use.
The agency responsible for drone flying safety, Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority, needs to come up with stringent regulations and ensure they are implemented, too.
The issue calls into question effectiveness of the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) as well. Considering that border with Afghanistan is too long and porous, it may not be easy to check heroin smuggling. But as mentioned earlier, a few months ago Indian customs officials had seized 435 kg of narcotics from an Afghan transit trade truck despite the fact that all such vehicles are thoroughly checked on entry into Pakistan as well as at the exit point in Wagah.
Before that in 2019, an even bigger consignment of 532 kg of heroin was discovered by the other side. How these shipments got past those at Wagah begs an answer. The customs authorities and ANF ought to get their act together. No such embarrassment must occur again.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
Comments
Comments are closed.