An anti-narcotics court has sentenced a local exporter, Ali Akbar Mirza, to a total of 64 years in prison across three separate cases of heroin smuggling disguised as rice exports, The Express Tribune reported.
The court also imposed a fine of Rs2.5 million on the convict, who will face an additional 15 months in jail if the amount is not paid.
According to Prosecutor Abdul Hanan, Mirza attempted to smuggle heroin to Dubai by concealing it inside rice sacks. He was arrested in Faisalabad before the consignment could be dispatched.
Investigations revealed that the exporter had previously sent two containers to Africa, which were later returned and found to contain 20 kilograms of heroin packed in plastic bags.
