An anti-narcotics court in Karachi has sentenced a Faisalabad-based exporter to a total of 64 years in prison for attempting to smuggle heroin under the guise of rice exports in three separate cases.
According to court details, Exporter Ali Akbar Mirza was found guilty of concealing heroin in rice shipments. Along with the prison term, the court imposed a fine of Rs. 2.5 million. Failure to pay the fine will result in an additional 15 months of imprisonment.
In its verdict, the court noted that the accused failed to provide credible evidence supporting his claim that the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) had demanded a bribe. The court also addressed the defense argument regarding the form of the recovered heroin, clarifying that the drug, originally in powdered form, can harden into small pellets due to environmental factors.
The accused had alleged that the ANF falsely implicated him after he refused to pay a bribe. His defense counsel argued that discrepancies existed in the evidence, including differences in the drug’s form and the absence of photos or videos during recovery.
Prosecutor Abdul Hannan, however, maintained that the ANF arrested Mirza in Faisalabad after receiving a tip-off. During the investigation, it was discovered that the accused had already sent two containers containing heroin to Africa. Both containers were recalled and later examined at Qasim International Container Terminal, where the ANF recovered 20 kilograms of heroin hidden inside rice sacks.
The court declared Haji Muhammad, Badshah Khan, Abbas Liaqat, and Muhammad Saleem as absconders in the case.