KARACHI: Customs Court Judge Syed Faiz Rasool Rashdi dismissed after arrest bail petitions against two suspects, Adnan Ashraf and Muhammad Junaid, who were booked in a case of smuggled/ non-duty paid contraband mobile phones, tablets, LED TVs, satellite dish receivers etc and evaded the duty and taxes to the tune of Rs 53,548,797.
During the hearing, counsel for the suspects filed bail applications and argued that their clients were innocent and were falsely implicated in this case, therefore, the court may grant them bail till final judgment in this case. However, counsel for the customs department argued that the prosecution has sufficient evidences against them, therefore, the court may reject their applications. After the arguments, the court rejected their bail applications. It needs to be mentioned here that both the accused are in jail on judicial remand.
Earlier, investigation officer informed the court that on credible information, officials of the Anti-Smuggling Organization intercepted a trailer Shahzore mini truck and Honda Vezel Pilot near open yard located at off Mai Kolachi Road Karachi and recovered smuggled/ non-duty paid 14,493 pieces mobile phones valuing Rs14,49,30,000. 2,282 pieces tablets valuing Rs1,36,92,000. 76 pieces LED TVs valuing Rs11,40,000. 1,708 pieces satellite dish receivers valuing Rs34,16,000. 81,600 pieces paint markers valuing Rs8,16,000. 970 pieces mobile phones without LCD valuing Rs19,40,000. 1,549 pieces mobile accessories valuing Rs20,000. 32,000 pieces neddles valuing Rs 32,000. 77 pieces TV boards valuing Rs77,000. 9600 pieces DVD-R valuing Rs96,000, total value Rs16, 61,59,000.
He further informed the court that during the investigation, it transpired that bonded carrier M/s Saifur Rahman & Brothers solely responsible for the transshipment of the consignment and with the criminal conspiracy of above mentioned accused and others associates in crime who adopted novel modus operandi and smuggled foreign origin contraband goods under the garb of computer parts which were illegally removal from container while en-route to Sambrial Dry Port for disposal in local market.
According to the prosecution, Directorate General Intelligence & Investigation-FBR Regional Office Karachi lodged First Information Report (FIR) against partners/ director/ proprietor of M/s Saifur Rahman & Brothers, Zeeshan Afzal of M/s K.K Metal Industries, Adnan son of Muhammad Ashraf and Muhammad Junaid S/O Abdul Razzaq and others.
