An operation on Karachi’s Northern Bypass to smuggle chalia (betel nuts) worth millions was thwarted on Wednesday by Pakistan customs intelligence.
According to information, the anti-smuggling squad of Pakistani customs stopped a dumper on the northern bypass of Karachi during an intelligence-based operation.
In response to a tip, the customs team put in place intense surveillance, which resulted in the seizure of a dump truck carrying betel nuts worth around Rs26 million. A case has been filed, and further investigation is underway.
The dangerous drug chalia (betel nuts), according to the customs inspectors, was concealed in the stones and several other cars were in the convoy with the dumper.
Four non-custom-paid cars were also seized by the customs inspectors. The vehicles and chalia (betel nuts) are valued at Rs55 million.
In an earlier large-scale operation, Pakistan Customs in Karachi seized non-duty-paid products worth over Rs160 million.
The Pakistan Customs anti-smuggling team conducted the operations in various Karachi neighbourhoods.
In another raid, the Pakistani customs team seized significant quantities of betel nuts, cigarettes, and gutka from a bus after acting on a tip-off in Liaquatabad. The items reportedly cost Rs26 million.
Instagram blogger @karachista1, on Tuesday, uploaded a story sharing several screenshots of conversations and images showing passengers’ items being confiscated at the Karachi and Lahore airport. Several social media users including lawyer Abdul Moiz Jaffery and actor and comedian Shafaat Ali, complained on Twitter about this being a ‘draconian step’.
The complaints ranged from AC Customs confiscating their private goods and others complaining that their bags were opened and imported items removed before they even landed in Karachi. Conflicting reports came forward with others reporting that they went through nothing like this. For some, only expensive makeup was confiscated and for others even biscuits and chocolates were not spared. Some customers were given receipts and some were not even informed.
The slip provided by the Airport Customs officers for future recovery of the items
So does this mean that if you plan on going abroad for a vacation this summer and want to bring back some goods for your family, you will not be allowed to take them from the airport? Pretty much.
We spoke to Irshad Gul, a Karachi businessman who regularly imports and exports items for his businesses. According to him, using passengers to bring back imported goods is usually considered an easy method of bringing imported items inside the country without paying any duty. He confirms that at the Karachi airport, Customs officers have become extremely vigilant, looking into all luggage bags and hand carries to scavenge for imported items. Large quantities of a single item like chocolates might be confiscated and you have to pay customs on them, but if you have a personal, small amount of chocolates, those should be allowed to go through. If you are planning to bring back some gifts from your vacation abroad, consider carrying only a few items which you can explain very well.
The irregularity in people’s online reported experiences only shows the usual inconsistency in Pakistani bureaucracy. A short while ago, Finance Minister Miftah Ismail tweeted an explanation for the airport and Customs staff’s behavior, clarifying that these steps are being taken to counter the smuggling of the banned items by professional packers. Although Ismail claims that ordinary citizens with a few items will not be harassed but citizens are reporting that even a few personal makeup items are being confiscated. Others say they were allowed to leave the airport unscathed.
As the govt has banned the import of a few non-essential items, we fear that smuggling of these items will increase. Therefore we have increased enforcement against professional khaipyas. Officials know who they are. Ordinary citizens bringing in a few items will not be harassed. pic.twitter.com/NFXJMAymUs
Finance Minister Miftah Ismail attached this official notice with his tweet, clarifying that all steps being taken by the airport staff are in accordance with government directive and compliance is necessary. Confiscated items include ‘food stuff, fruits, sanitary ware, used mobile phones and branded shoes’.
Several Twitter users including Shafaat Ali requested Miftah Ismail to take action as they believe personal products should be allowed and only commercial consignments should be subjected to these limitations.
Six passengers have been arrested at Chennai airport in India for smuggling gold and foreign currency in their wigs. Customs officials found gold paste and cash packed into parcels and hidden in the wigs of the passengers.
According to details, the gold was valued at around $344,000 (Rs 53,616,734) and $33,000 (Rs 5,143,465) was recovered in cash. The passengers had arrived from an unrevealed location in the Gulf.
The gold and cash were concealed in wigs, socks, underwear and inside the passengers’ bodies.
Chennai Air Customs: 5.55 kg gold worth Rs 2.53 crore & foreign currency worth Rs 24 lakhs seized from pax arrivng from & departing to gulf under CAct & FEMA last 2 days. Gold concealed in wigs,socks,innerwear,rectum & aircraft .Six Arrested.#IndianCustomsAtWorkpic.twitter.com/w1cBmugDYi
In a shocking development, local and foreign currency amounting to Rs30 million was allegedly being smuggled in the plane that crashed in a Karachi neighbourhood on May 22, a spokesperson of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has claimed.
“Local and foreign currency worth millions of rupees was recovered from the crash site,” said the spokesperson, adding that a total of Rs30 million had been recovered from three separate bags.
The PIA official said that such an amount cannot be transported without informing the airline and that an extra seat ticket needs to be purchased for transporting such huge amounts of cash. “A passenger cannot carry it in their luggage or cabin baggage.”
He said for such large amounts of cash, a passenger has to be seated next to the cash but no passenger had brought an extra seat.
So far, three people have come forward to claim the money, the spokesperson said.
Police arrested a gang that was smuggling drugs to the United Kingdom in lehengas. The suspect identified as Najam Rafique was arrested in Dadyal. Najam was caught in possession of many packs of heroin hidden inside wedding outfits.
As per reports, Najam is a part of an international drug network that is smuggling drugs to the UK. A heroin smuggler who goes by Mushtaq Nawabi is an important member of this international drug gang. Mushtaq is currently hiding in Dubai.
Police officer Faisal Siddique (SHO) said that the arrest was made after getting hints that Nawabi has been transporting drugs concealed in lehengas to the UK.
Najam was traveling on a motorcycle when he was stopped and arrested. The five lehengas in his possession were laced with 1.5 kg of heroin. After his arrest, he revealed that “In total ten lehengas were to be sent to the UK with the drugs inside them.”
Najam’s arrest was just one in a series of raids to bust this international drug network. While this gang is run by Mushtaq Nawabi, the mastermind is his son-in-law Hafiz Mansoor Sultani from Kotli. Hafiz Mansoor is also living and hiding in Dubai.
During a police press conference, DSP Nadeem Arif and Faisal Siddique asserted that the gang target poor people to work for them. Najam Rafique has received Rs 5 lakhs (£2,500) commission for 10 lehengas. Sometimes people are offered transport ‘gifts‘ in exchange for money. Sometimes people don’t even realize they’re being used.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has sought the help of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to present monitoring reports regularly, as Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan directs for a large-scale crackdown on smuggling of edibles and other commodities, The News reported.
According to reports, the premier has asked the Interior Ministry, law enforcement agencies of the federal and provincial governments, and Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to collectively take action against the menace of smuggling. He has also directed the Interior Ministry to present a report on related measures and a comprehensive strategy on the matter within 48 hours.
He emphasised that keeping in view the recommendations of the task force formed to combat smuggling, short-term, medium-term and long-term measures should be initiated.
The decision was taken at a high-level meeting, presided over by PM Imran and attended by Minister for National Food Security Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar, Minister for Planning Asad Umar, Adviser to the PM on Commerce and Trade Abdul Razak Dawood, interior and national food security secretaries, and acting FBR chairman among other senior officials.
The meeting took stock of the demand and supply of essential commodities and their prices with particular reference to their smuggling. The report on progress so far made on the establishment of markets at the western border was also presented at the meeting. The PM directed accelerating the pace of establishment of markets and observed that because of smuggling of food items, common man was facing difficulties.
“The menace of smuggling is causing losses worth billions to the national economy. Combating this menace is in national interests,” he contended, adding that prices of food items must be brought down by up to 20 per cent.
The premier also made it clear that no negligence would be tolerated with regard to smuggling.
