Authorities recover heroin worth USD 1.4 billion in international market in Pak

Authorities in Pakistan's Sindh province on Monday claimed to have seized a huge quantity of drugs, including heroin worth USD 1.4 billion in the international market, during a raid on the outskirts of Karachi.

Sindh's Minister for Excise and Taxation and Narcotics Control Mukesh Kumar Chawla said the drugs were seized during a raid on a house in Surjani town on the outskirts of Karachi on Sunday.

“It is the largest drug bust in the history of Karachi,” he said, adding that a suspect, Mohammad Usman, has also been arrested.

A huge quantity of drugs, including 304 kilograms of heroin and 500 kilograms of hashish (charas), were recovered during the raid, the official said.

Chawla said the seized heroin was valued at USD 1.4 billion, while hashish was valued at USD 1.5 million in the international market.

Karachi is considered a gateway to the international market for drug dealers operating out of neighbouring Afghanistan.