Bid to smuggle weapons foiled at Torkham border

TORKHAM: In a successful operation on Saturday, the Customs Appraisement team at the import terminal in Torkham intercepted a smuggling attempt, preventing illegal weapons and ammunition worth Rs4.1 million from entering the country. Customs staff at the terminal acted upon credible intelligence, stopping two vehicles bearing registration numbers KBL-9154 and HRT-2482. The scans of these vehicles raised suspicions as they exhibited abnormal readings.
Upon detailed rummaging and inspection, the team discovered a hidden cache of foreign-origin weapons meticulously concealed within the vehicles. The weapons were disguised as coal and soapstone, secretly concealed in cavities within the vehicles.
The inventory of recovered items from Vehicle KBL-9154 included three M-16 rifles, two Beretta pistols, one pistol without a barrel, 4000 rounds of AK-47 ammunition, eight AK-47 bolts, five Glock pistol magazines, and forty AK-47 springs.
Similarly, vehicle HRT-2482 yielded a haul of 8,000 9mm rounds.
The total estimated value of the seized weapons amounts to approximately Rs4.1 million, while the value of the intercepted vehicles stands at Rs10 million.
An FIR has been lodged in connection with the smuggling attempt, initiating further investigative proceedings. –Agencies