RAWALPINDI: The Food Department Rawalpindi and district police while foiling 38 bids to smuggle wheat and flour seized 18,667 bags during last seven days.

According to a district administration spokesman, the authorities of the food department along with police conducted raids in different areas and rounded up 38 drivers who were allegedly trying to smuggle wheat and flour.

The food department and district police on the directives of Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi Tahir Farooq are strictly monitoring all the exit points of Rawalpindi district to foil wheat and flour smuggling bids.

The administration succeeded to intercept 38 vehicles besides seizing 18,667 wheat and flour bags and 32 tons wheat.

The authorities had been directed to strictly monitor district exit points to control wheat smuggling, he said adding, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Rawalpindi Tahir Farooq had instructed the authorities to monitor the movement of wheat round the clock and take strict action in accordance with the law against the rules violators.

The spokesman said that all the exit points of Rawalpindi division were being monitored 24/7 to control wheat smuggling as the administration had set up 14 check posts at exit points of the four districts of the division to check wheat smuggling.

Rawalpindi district police and the Food Department on the special directives of Punjab government had also set up five special pickets at exit points of Rawalpindi district to control wheat smuggling.

According to a police spokesman, special pickets were established in Naseerabad area, Hakla Interchange, Gangu Bahadur, HMC road and Brahama Interchange.