ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — In a bizarre yet highly coordinated jailbreak, 14 prisoners managed to escape from police custody after weaponizing standard kitchen chili powder against their armed escort. The shocking incident, which took place during a routine transit operation, has left law enforcement red-faced and triggered a massive regional manhunt.

The breach unfolded while a heavily secured police transport van was moving high-risk inmates between a regional court hearing and a high-security detention facility.

According to senior police officials, the inmates had managed to smuggle a significant quantity of highly potent, ground chili powder into the transport vehicle, hidden inside their clothing. As the vehicle slowed down at a designated checkpoint or transit juncture, the prisoners launched their coordinated strike.

When the rear doors of the van were opened by escorting officers to conduct a routine headcount and security check, the inmates threw the chili powder directly into the eyes and faces of the unsuspecting guards.

The stinging, blinding effect of the spice instantly incapacitated the officers, leaving them unable to draw their weapons or secure the perimeter. Taking advantage of the immediate chaos and the guards' temporary blindness, 14 prisoners broke past the security line and fled into the surrounding crowded urban streets.

A major security alert was sounded across the district immediately after the surviving officers recovered enough to radio for backup. Extra police units, alongside regional paramilitary forces, have cordoned off the area and established strict checkpoints on all major exit routes.

"This was a well-planned and meticulously timed assault," a senior department spokesperson stated. "The prisoners used an unconventional weapon to completely neutralize the physical advantage of our armed personnel. We are utilizing all available intelligence, including local CCTV footage, to track them down."

While a massive manhunt is actively underway to recapture the fugitives, the incident has raised serious questions regarding the protocols of inmate transfers in the region.

Authorities have launched an internal investigation into the massive security lapse. Investigators are looking into how such a large quantity of contraband chili powder was smuggled past initial body searches, and several of the escorting officers are being questioned for potential negligence or complicity in the escape.