LAHORE: Collectorate of Customs Enforcement has impounded seized two vehicles and arrested the owners as the vehicles were illegally imported and registered with Excise and Taxation department on fake documents.
Under the directives of Collector Enforcement Saeed Wattoo, a team from Customs Anti-Smuggling Organization (ASO) Lahore, supervised by Inspectors Ahmad Chaudhry, Mustafa, Turab Hussain, and Sajjad Kharral, seized a white 2017 Toyota Prius during a targeted raid.
The car bearing chassis number RFXE22 and registration AVT301—was registered to Shahid Bilal of District Kasur. Authorities said the documents used to register the vehicle were allegedly fraudulent.
During initial probe, Bilal disclosed that the vehicle was purchased and registered by Malik Awais Awan, who, along with an associate named Imran (also known as Ahmad Mian), was reportedly involved in smuggling vehicles and forging registration documents. Both men allegedly exploited the Web-Based One Customs (WeBOC) system to enter vehicles like the Prius and another Toyota Axio into official databases using fake paperwork.
Four suspects—Bilal, Awan, Imran Mian, and Muhammad Usman—are now facing serious charges under multiple sections of the Customs Act, including offenses under Chapter XVIA and clauses of Sections 155, 156, 178, and others. Authorities have flagged the case as offense No. 9691.
The crackdown also led to the recovery of a white 2018 Mira with forged documents and registration number 775-ABT. The vehicle was traced to Khalid Khan of Lahore, who reportedly confessed that he had acquired the vehicle through illegal means.
The true owners—Muhammad Junaid and Imran Khawar—told investigators they had purchased the Mira from a man named Asif for Rs1.1 million.
Junaid provided an advance of Rs100,000 and received engine and chassis images, while Khawar allegedly assisted with preparing fake customs and excise documentation.
Officials from the Excise and Taxation Department, including individuals named Malik Idrees and Imran Mayo, have been implicated for their suspected role in document preparation and unauthorized access to the WeBOC system.
Chief Collector Enforcement Pakistan, Basit Abbasi, has ordered all regional collectorates to recover 103 vehicles identified as fraudulently registered thus far. He emphasized that vehicle owners should be questioned to trace key facilitators behind the scam. The Excise and Taxation Department itself is now subject to internal investigation.
