PESHAWAR: The officials of the excise and narcotics control department on Sunday seized around 1,000kg hashish and opium after exchange of fire with the smugglers near Hayatabad toll plaza.
The officials of the department told Dawn that the seized drugs included 720kg hashish and 240kg opium, saying the smugglers were carrying the drugs to their destination in Punjab.
Upon the information of provincial in-charge Excise Intelligence Bureau, three different teams were deployed in Peshawar on September19-20 midnight when a drug carrying pickup was signalle d t o st op at Jehaz Chowk in Hayat abad.
The officials said that instead of stopping, the pickup driver sped away, opened fire on the Excise Department officials and hit several cars and roadside structures, causing damage to them.
The pickup diverted towards the Frontier Road, which was chased by the patrolling squad. The exchange of fire between the smuggler and excise force continued for some time but the smuggler escaped the arrest.
Akif Nawaz, in charge of the intelligence bureau told Dawn that FIR has been registered and investigation was under way.