KARACHI/ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Customs foiled a significant smuggling attempt in Karachi, seizing over 10,000 mobile phones valued at Rs 302 million and 15,000 tobacco flavors worth Rs 30 million.
Customs officials said the smuggled goods were concealed in cartons labeled as car coolant to bypass inspection. The scheme was uncovered during a search of a truck that had already cleared customs.
Deputy Collector Customs Syed Muhammad Raza Naqvi revealed that a private company misdeclared the shipment to deceive authorities. He confirmed that all seized items have been confiscated, and a case has been registered under the Customs Act. An investigation is ongoing to pursue further legal action against the importer.
Meanwhile, six customs officers from the Karachi Customs Collectorate have been summoned by the Prime Minister’s Inspection Commission on March 3 in connection with a separate vehicle smuggling case. The officials — including Additional Collector Wajid Zaman, Assistant Collectors Usama Dastagir and Fahad Khan — are accused of running a smuggling network in collaboration with private individuals.
The commission has also called in the driver of Asif Hargan, the special advisor to the finance minister and former collector, for questioning.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has instructed the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and Pakistan Customs to tighten measures against smuggling. In line with the directive, the FBR has introduced a Statutory Regulatory Order (SRO) empowering authorities to seize vehicles and other means of transport used for smuggling operations.
