Pakistan, US disrupt Afghan-origin meth network in $21 million drug seizure
Pakistan and the US disrupted an Afghan-origin meth network, seizing 463 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine worth $21 million
Aamir Abbasi
Editor, Islamabad
Aamir; a journalist with 15 years of experience, working in Newspaper, TV and Digital Media. Worked in Field, covered Big Legal Constitutional and Political Events in Pakistan since 2009 with Pakistan’s Top Media Organizations. Graduate of Quaid I Azam University Islamabad.
Seized soapstone bags containing 224kg of methamphetamine at Karachi port, May 2, 2024.
ANF/File
Pakistani and US authorities, working with Sri Lankan law enforcement, seized about 463 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine worth an estimated $21 million in an operation targeting a transnational drug-trafficking network, the US Embassy in Islamabad said Tuesday.
The seizure followed weeks of intelligence-sharing between the two countries.
How did Pakistan and the US disrupt the Afghan-origin meth network?
The seizure was made on August 30 following intelligence-sharing between the US Drug Enforcement Administration and Pakistan's Anti-Narcotics Force, with assistance from Sri Lanka's Police Narcotics Bureau and the DEA office in New Delhi, the embassy said.
The case began when the ANF's Port Control Unit in Karachi identified several containers scheduled for shipment from Pakistan to Colombo between August 14 and 29.
What led authorities to the drug shipment?
Authorities suspected the containers were carrying narcotics originating in Afghanistan and alerted the DEA in Islamabad, according to the embassy. The DEA then coordinated with law enforcement agencies in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, leading to the seizure of the drugs and the arrest of several suspects, including Pakistani nationals.
The operation reflected ongoing cooperation between the two countries and coordination with regional law enforcement agencies to disrupt international drug-trafficking networks, the embassy said.
Why does this seizure matter for regional drug trafficking?
The operation highlights Pakistan's role as a transit point in regional drug trafficking, particularly for narcotics originating in Afghanistan and moved through maritime routes to overseas markets. The US government has provided foreign assistance to support training for Pakistan's ANF, helping strengthen its capacity to detect and intercept illicit drug shipments, the embassy said.
"The United States remains committed to working with Pakistan to dismantle transnational criminal organizations" and protect US citizens from the dangers of narcotrafficking, the embassy said.
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