Truck Driver Arrested; 3,001 Kilograms of Areca Nuts Recovered
Mochko Police have foiled a major smuggling attempt by intercepting a truck loaded with over three metric tonnes of areca nuts (commonly known as chaliya) concealed under the guise of a cement shipment.
According to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Keamari, Faizan Ali, the incident occurred during routine checks at the Mochko checkpoint, where a suspicious truck arriving from Hub Chowki was thoroughly inspected.
Initial observations suggested the truck was carrying 340 cement bags, but upon detailed examination, officers discovered that only 193 bags contained cement, while the remaining 147 bags were packed with areca nuts. The total weight of the smuggled substance was confirmed to be 3,001 kilograms.
“The suspects had cleverly stuffed the areca nuts inside cement bags to avoid detection and transport them discrectly into Karachi,” SSP Faizan Ali said.
Preliminary investigations reveal that the consignment was intended for distribution across Karachi, where the substance is frequently used in the production of gutka, mawa, and other banned chewable products.
The driver of the truck, identified as Muhammad Nasir, son of Abdul Sattar, was taken into custody on the spot. The seized truck and contraband have been handed over to Customs authorities for further investigation and legal action.
Authorities are now conducting follow-up inquiries to determine the source of the areca nuts, possible links to organized smuggling rings, and potential distribution networks within the city.
