PAKISTAN'S $1 BILLION DRUG BUST A SHOW FOR FATF

Pakistan's navy has recently announced what it called one of the largest narcotics seizures in its history: nearly US $1 billion worth of drugs intercepted aboard two dhows in the Arabian Sea.

- ASHISH SINGH

The operation, carried out under the Saudi-led Combined Task Force 150—part of the U.S.-backed Combined Maritime Forces (CMF)—was quickly hailed as a triumph of international cooperation.

According to CMF's official statement, the first dhow was boarded on October 18 and found to be carrying more than two metric tons of crystal methamphetamine, estimated to be worth $822 million. Less than 48 hours later, a second dhow was intercepted, yielding 350 kilograms of meth and 50 kilograms of cocaine valued at a combined $150 million.

Both vessels, the statement added, had “no nationality.” The figures alone—more than $970 million in drugs in two days made for irresistible headlines.

The U.S. Central Command reposted images of Pakistan Navy commandos standing atop mountains of seized contraband.

Pakistani television ran the story on a loop; global media outlets from Reuters to AI Jazeera followed suit.

The visuals were dramatic, the valuation staggering, and the symbolism powerful: a state fighting back against the traffickers who have long haunted its coasts.

Yet beneath the surface of this apparent success lies a more uncomfortable question. Was this truly a decisive strike in the global war on drugs-or was it, as some observers now argue, a performance of compliance aimed as much at international regulators as at smugglers?

FATF AND THE POLITICS OF OPTICS
For Pakistan, the timing could hardly be more convenient. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the intergovernmental watchdog that sets global standards on money-laundering and terror-financing, removed Pakistan from its “grey list” in October 2022. That move restored a measure of confidence among lenders and investors, but the respite remains fragile.