KARACHI: Police in the southern Pakistani port city of Karachi said on Saturday they had seized six tons of illegal drugs worth an estimated $1 billion.

Police arrested two men and impounded two trucks loaded with narcotics a raid in Karachi's West District on Thursday after a tip-off.

"After catching a carrier at northern bypass of the city with drugs, he took us to a house in Surjani from where we recovered six tons of narcotics. The estimated value of narcotics is more than $1billion," Senior Superintendent of Police Suhai Aziz told Arab News.

She said the seized drugs included hashish, opium, heroin and chemicals used for making narcotics.  

The operation was a second seizure of a large drug haul in Karachi's in Surjani town this year, after Sindh Excise Taxation and Narcotics Control Department confiscated heroin worth an estimated worth $1.4 billion from a vacant plot in the area in February.

West Zone Deputy Inspector General of Police Nasir Aftab said illegal drugs arrive in Karachi from Afghanistan through Quetta.

"The narcotics are transported everywhere, including the US and Arab world," he added.

Aftab told Arab News an investigation was underway, but it was not easy to catch the actual drug kingpins due to their “strong network,” although the seizure of drugs was a proof of that police intelligence officers were doing their job.

"We have the best police intelligence system given our resources," he said.

Aziz also admitted it was difficult to eliminate drugs from the city without breaking their supply chains, and that criminal networks behind them were strong.

"After catching the drugs, the SHO (station house officer) is continuously getting threatening phone calls," she said.