The Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF), in coordination with Qatari authorities, seized 4.48 kilograms of cocaine at Islamabad International Airport. Two suspects were arrested in the operation.
According to an ANF spokesperson, the intelligence-led operation followed enhanced cooperation agreed upon during the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Conference on Counter Narcotics in Islamabad in April 2025.
Acting on shared intelligence, officials intercepted a female passenger, identified as Sehrish Bano, travelling from Sharjah to Islamabad via Doha.
A search of her hand-carried trolley bag revealed 4.482 kg of cocaine hidden to evade detection. During interrogation, she disclosed that her handler was waiting outside the airport’s arrival area.
ANF teams then conducted a follow-up operation, arresting the handler, Amir Asad Ullah, along with his vehicle. Investigators confirmed that the narcotics had been handed to the female passenger during transit at Hamad International Airport in Doha by a Nigerian national. The operation involved instructions from handlers based in the United Arab Emirates.
The female passenger, her handler, the recovered narcotics, and the seized vehicle remain in ANF custody. Coordinated investigations are underway in both Pakistan and Qatar.
The ANF highlighted that trafficking networks increasingly use women as couriers to avoid suspicion. The spokesperson stressed that international intelligence sharing was crucial in countering transnational drug crimes.
Officials added that the operation demonstrates the importance of vigilance at airports and continued cooperation between Pakistan and Gulf countries. The ANF reaffirmed its commitment to dismantling drug trafficking networks through national and international efforts.
The case has raised awareness about sophisticated trafficking methods and the role of unsuspected couriers, particularly female passengers, in transporting illicit substances. Authorities continue monitoring transit routes and airport security to prevent similar incidents.
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