KARACHI: The Customs authorities have foiled a number of bids to smuggle cell phones and other goods worth Rs 155.131 million at the Jinnah International Airport Karachi from January to December 2015.
In an exclusive interview with the Customs Today, Deputy Collector Customs Preventive at the airport, Amjad Aman Leghari, said that the customs authorities are maintaining a vigil eye on all kinds of smuggling.
“Chief Collector Enforcement South Zahid Khokhar and Collector Syed Tariq Huda are always there to encourage and support the customs staff for their efforts against the smuggling and anti-social elements,” he said.
While elaborating further, the deputy collector said that cellular phones worth Rs 2,933,000 were recovered on January 20, 2015. And cellular phones and gold jewelery worth Rs 3,500,000 were also recovered from a passenger on March 25, 2015.
Moreover, the customs staff recovered foreign origin smuggled medicines from Mrs Farrukh that cost Rs 26,663,050 on April 20, 2015 and some 120 tolas of gold from a passenger worth Rs 5,544,000 on April 20, 2015, Amjad Leghari added.
During the month of June 2015, DC Amjad said, the authorities recovered mobile phones and accessories worth Rs 696,900 on June 4, mobile phones and jewellery worth Rs 10,900,000 on June 10, some 2.99 kg gold/silver worth Rs 518,750 on June 16; 216 cellular phones worth Rs 2,181,600 and cell phones worth Rs 2383600 on June 25, 2015.
DC Arrivals further told that the staff intercepted a passenger and recovered gold jewellery worth Rs 4810050 on September 1, 2015 and gold jewellery worth Rs 2640000 on June 7, 2015.
In October, 358 cellular phones were recovered by the customs authorities on October 14; cell phones worth Rs 483,000 on October 20 and cell phones worth Rs 2,111,500 on October 30.
According to Amjad Leghari, cellular phones worth Rs 4,004,000 were recovered on November 8 and 1264 mobile phones worth Rs 25,209,000 on November 25.
Furthermore, in a major action against the drug mafia, the customs authorities foiled a bid and recovered 1500 grams of cocaine worth Rs 22,500,000 on December 13, cocaine from a foreigner worth Rs 22,050,000 on December 15 while 947 cellular phones worth Rs 9943,500 on December 24, 2015.
