Rana Tassaddiq Hussain Islamabad
A month ago, it was revealed in a report, published in Pakistan Observer that a large quantity of Class-A drugs shipment, containing 785kg of heroin and 250 kg of ketamine was seized by the Greater Manchester Police. In that connection, the police apprehended a number of person as they unloaded the container which was transported from Port Qasim of Karachi, Pakistan and had arrived at Felixstowe port.
National Crime Agency (NCA) published the mobile numbers of the exporters to get an information from the public, then the names of the firm and its owners came to light. According to that report the said consignment had been shipped by a Muredke based well known Pakistani firm M/S Super Food factory.
The export profile of M/S Super Food factory shows that the firm is a leading exporter of rice and other food commodities. And firm’s wide range of exports extends to Gulf, Middle East, Far East, Scandinavian, Western Europe, United States and Canada etc.
On this occasion, the Pakistani Minister Brig (Retd) Ijaz Shah had strongly assured that the government would adopt a zero tolerance policy in this regard. While talking with Pakistan Observer, he promised that every possible effort would be made to investigate this heinous anti-human crime and reach out to the culprits. But a month later, no progress has been made or revealed in the investigating of this case.
British intelligence agencies also acknowledge that the UK is a prime destination for corrupt foreign Political Persons to launder the proceeds of corruption, particularly those from Russia, Nigeria and Pakistan. And according to drug crime analysts, there is a strong possibility that such elements exist in the UK, who provide criminal support to international drug traffickers and money launderers.
Keep in mind that there have been many cases of drug trafficking in this regard before. In last October, NCA investigators arrested an Indian, Daljinder Bassi, while he was driving from Birmingham to his
Wolver Hampton home. Police found three kilograms of heroin in his car. In the subsequent search of his home, anti-drug agency discovered approximately £750,000 hidden in a wall cavity, which was accessed by a homemade pulley system. In this connection besides 25 kgs of cocaine and heroin, hydraulic presses and mixing agents were also recovered from the property.
During the investigations, it was discovered that, the drug agents had deposited and laundered £345,000 of criminal cash through banks across the country in a ten day period.
On 19 December, NCA officers watched as a man from Pakistan Abid Rasul and Webster Kenton met in Slough and exchanged 50 kilos of ketamine with a street value of £1.25 million. Their Phone records revealed that Kenton was in constant contact with Kang in the lead up to the deal. But surprisingly, prior to trial, Abid Rasul absconded from the UK to Pakistan. The question arises that who were those elements who helped Abid Rasul to escape from Great Britain.
We hope that with the cooperation and joint investigation of the Pakistan authorities and the National Crime Agency of England, the cunning drug mafia and its accomplices will be brought to justice.
