TORKHAM: The Customs team deputed at Torkham Customs station foiled a bid to smuggle huge quantity of arms to Afghanistan from Pakistan at Torkham border in Khyber Agency.
Customs officials told Customs Today that customs personnel were on their routine duties at the gate when a truck bearing registration no: E-5715 arrived. The customs police searched the truck in order to perform duties when pistols and guns were found hidden in the food goods.
The customs police arrested the driver Jamal Khan son of Sardar Khan resident of Logar province and registered case against him of arms smuggling according to Customs Act 1969 and further interrogation from him underway, it said.
The sources said that there were 14 pistols and 74 guns of local made industry recovered from the truck along bullets which were shifted to Torkham Customs Station.
The Deputy Collector Torkham Customs Muhammad Arjumand praised the performance of customs staff for foiling bid of smuggling and said that Torkham Customs Station remains one of the most critical customs station which is situated on border with war hit country of Afghanistan.
Due to continuous threat from militants the Government of Pakistan has earlier started work to fence border with Afghanistan in order to cut roots of smuggling arms from one side of the border to other. The deputy collector added that Pakistan Customs have major role to tackle smuggling of arms across the border in order to save the lives of people living in both countries.
The deputy collector appreciated the Inspector Ahmad along other customs police for making the day happen by foiled the smuggling effort of Arms. He directed the Customs team to strictly eliminate every threat which facilitate smugglers for crossing the border.
The deputy collector further said that the Pakistan Customs will not allow to use Torkham border for supply of arms or smuggling of NDP items.
