LAHORE: A customs vigilance team detained a foreign man at the Allama Iqbal International Airport, set to depart from the city and travel to Bangkok, for carrying an unusual amount of US dollars.
The detainee, a Chinese national in his late 30s, was in possession of US dollars of 23,000 and was travelling to Bangkok by a foreign airline.
The man has been taken into custody for questioning and a case subsequently was registered against him, the officials added.
The Pakistan Customs foiled the attempt of currency smuggling on Thursday morning when Zhu Zhong was making an attempt of smuggling currency from Lahore into Bangkok.
The accused has been shifted to an unknown place for interrogation while a case has been registered against him. The Pakistan Customs has registered a case against the accused under the Pakistan Customs Act-1969.
According to a revised rule of the State Bank of Pakistan regarding foreign exchange, a passenger can carry up to $10,000 or equivalent notes of another currency while going abroad.
Now the Pakistan Customs will present the accused before the court of customs taxation and anti-smuggling for getting his physical remand for further investigation and prosecution.
The Pakistan Customs Preventive has thwarted many currencies-smuggling attempts at the Allama Iqbal International Airport and recovered millions of dollars that were being attempted to smuggle from Lahore into other countries.