12 PIA staff arrested for ‘trying’ to smuggle heroin

Lahore: Pakistan’s Anti-Narcotics Force on Sunday arrested 12 employees of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) for allegedly trying to smuggle 6 kilogram of heroin worth over 60 million rupees.

A PIA flight PK-203 was ready to leave for Dubai on Sunday from the airport here when the ANF staff got it vacated on information that a huge quantity of heroin had been concealed in the aircraft, officials said. After a thorough search of a couple of hours the ANF team seized 6 kg heroin which is worth over Rs 60 million from the toilet of the aircraft, they said. According to officials, ANF arrested at least 12 PIA employees and launched a probe into the matter.

The PIA staff allegedly attempted to smuggle heroin to Dubai from Lahore. 

PIA spokesman Daniyal Gilani confirmed the arrests saying some PIA employees have been taken into custody in connection with a failed bid to smuggle heroin to Dubai from Lahore. After investigation if these employees are found guilty, strict action will be taken against them, he said.

During the last few years there has been a rapid rise in the number of cases in which the PIA employees caught red-handed while smuggling different items like drugs, cigarettes, mobile phones, illegal passports and laundered money abroad. In some cases the PIA employees were caught at Pakistani airports and in others they were intercepted and arrested in other countries, mostly in the European destinations.

PTI