Islamabad, Pakistan: Two major attempts to smuggle large quantities of fine quality heroin from Benazir International Airport Islamabad to Europe in less than 10 months through National carrier Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) indicates that this fading airline is becoming soft target for international drug smugglers to transport their items.
Two cases of transporting heroin to Europe were reported in 10 months while one attempt was reportedly foiled on May 26, 2017 by Anti Narcotics Force (ANF) when it recovered 20 kg of fine heroin from London-bound flight PK-785 before flight took off. This attempt was conducted just two weeks after the National Crime Agency (NCA) of Britain allegedly recovered huge quantity of heroin from Islamabad to London flight PK-785. However, PIA spokesperson claimed that nothing was found on the plane during search operation while UK based media alleged that over 20 kg heroin was found.
According to reports published in British media, NCA had information about smuggling and took nine hours to thoroughly sniffed the flight and found drugs.
There are over six different security agencies working at Islamabad Airport to check every passengers and staffs of airlines before clearing them onboard. How PIA flights can continue targets of international smugglers for transporting drugs without the help of security agencies? This question is yet to be answered by authorities.
It may be mentioned that drugs were recovered from a Boeing-777 plane in Karachi when the aircraft went for repair work.
According to media reports, a PIA steward who was posted at international flights to Europe reported his seniors that he had been threatened twice by unidentified men to transport passports and money to Europe.
Such incidents indicates that there is possibility that international mafia are operating in Islamabad Airport with the alleged help of some security people to use this airport for their illegal operations.
