Saudi Arabia frees Pakistani family after drug smuggling scam busted

A Pakistani family of five, who traveled to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah, found themselves in trouble after authorities jailed them for allegedly smuggling narcotics into the kingdom.

The victims, hailing from Lahore, included Farhana Akhtar, Haroon Ali, Malik Aziz, Fouzia Aziz, and Zakria Begum. They departed from Lahore airport on December 23, unaware of the nightmare that awaited them.

According to reports, a smuggling gang at the airport swapped the family’s luggage tags with the help of a porter, without their knowledge.

What was meant to be a sacred pilgrimage turned into a harrowing ordeal when the innocent travelers were arrested on December 30 after returning to their hotel following Umrah.

One of the detained family members, speaking to the media, revealed that they were taken into custody when authorities questioned them about their luggage. "We told them the bags weren’t ours," he said, adding that they were imprisoned for "15 days."

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The Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) launched an investigation into the matter and reviewed CCTV footage from the airport’s entry and exit points. Their probe led to the arrest of a porter involved in the crime, followed by the capture of nine additional suspects, including the ringleader.

"After hearing about a 20-year sentence, we thought we would never return to our country. But our government helped us a lot," another family member shared.

With the smuggling gang busted, the Pakistani government intervened and provided evidence to Saudi authorities, which ultimately led to the family’s release.

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Federal Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control Mohsin Naqvi visited the family’s home and commended the ANF for its swift action in solving the case and dismantling the smuggling network.

"The family's ordeal cannot be put into words," Naqvi stated.

He reaffirmed government's commitment to cracking down on drug smugglers, ensuring strict surveillance at airports, and expressed gratitude to the Saudi government for their cooperation.

Director General ANF Maj-Gen Abdul Mueed explained how the criminals carried out the operation.

"Once the family's luggage was checked at the airport, the culprits removed the tag, placed 2kg of crystal meth (ice) inside, and then replaced it with a different tag to smuggle the drugs to Jeddah," he disclosed.

He further stated, "We shared intelligence with Saudi authorities and solved the case within 48 hours."