KARACHI: Regional Directorate of Customs Intelligence and Investigation (I&I) team seized huge quantity of smuggled goods including mobile accessories and betel nut worth millions of rupees in two separate Intelligence Based Operations (IBOs).
Sources told Customs Today that Director Customs I&I Mian Masood Ahmed directed ASO team to expedite anti-smuggling activities.
Information was received at the office of the Directorate of Customs Intelligence & Investigation to the effect that some suspicious persons are engaged in the smuggling of assorted foreign origin electronic items / mobile accessories and dumping the same at premises/godown situated at Mehran Society, Korangi Industrial Area for further disposal and illegal sale in the local market.
ASO team raided the premises and one person was found available, who introduced himself as Muhammad Haris Siddique, manager of said godown.
During detailed search of the godown found huge quantity of foreign origin assorted electronic items packed in cartons were found placed at the aforesaid premises. The recovered goods include assorted foreign origin electronic items / accessories comprised of Itel super/multimedia speakers of assorted models, cables, smart watches, wireless gaming ear buds different models, travel adopter kits chargers, fast data cables, earphones and others misc. items.
Subsequent to the detention of the goods, M/s GENBA Group approached the office of the Directorate General of Intelligence & Investigation, Karachi and submitted application attached with miscellaneous documents comprised on three GDs. On scrutiny of the said GDs, the same were found irrelevant, as the goods imported under the aforesaid GDs were not match with the seized goods.
M/s. GENBA Group is registered in the name of Shahnaz Malik for the purpose of Storage / Warehousing of the goods, whereas the status of the said firm was found in-active since February 2021.
It is established without any shadow of doubt that the claimant of seized goods namely M/s. GENBA Group with the active connivance of Manager of godown namely Muhammad Haris Siddique and other associates deliberately involved in the smuggling and storage of the foreign origin assorted goods. The goods worth Rs12.4 million have been seized and investigation is underway.
In another operation, information was received through Director I&I that non duty paid foreign origin Betel Nuts would be transported from Baluchistan to Karachi through Dumper for its further disposal and illegal sale. Accordingly, a team of officers of ASO under the supervision of Superintendent ASO Zia Moen was constituted to foil the attempt. The team intercepted a Hino Dumper Truck near Hamdard University, Northern Bypass, Karachi.
During search of the vehicle resulted in the recovery of few numbers of polypropylene bags which were concealed under the concrete crash. The recovered polypropylene bags were cut / opened and the same were found containing Betel Nuts (Areca). Value of the seized betel nut is Rs20.7 million while value of the vehicle is Rs15 million.
An FIR is registered and investigations are underway.
