KARACHI: Pakistan Customs has confiscated 58 tonnes of smuggled black tea worth millions of rupees in two separate raids conducted by the Anti-Smuggling Organization (ASO) of Model Customs Collectorate of Preventive and the Directorate of Customs Intelligence and Investigation, Karachi.
A team of ASO headed by Assistant Collector, Headquarters-I, Muhammad Wasif Malik raided Bolton Market and its adjacent streets in wee hours and confiscated 24 tonnes of smuggled black-tea in the downtown (old city) area.
Assistant Collector Wasif Malik informed Customs Today that the ASO team confiscated smuggled black-tea worth over Rs 15 million, which was being smuggled from Afghanistan.
He further said that no claimant has yet appeared in the case, while MCC Preventive has completed the seizure report.
Furthermore, officials of Directorate of Intelligence and Investigation-Customs, Karachi raided a warehouse in Jodia Bazaar and recovered 600 large bags of high quality smuggled black tea.
A team of Directorate of Customs Intelligence received information that high quality expensive black tea of Kenyan origin was stored in a warehouse of Jodia Bazaar, which was smuggled through Afghan Transit Trade and illegal routes.
On a tip-off, Director Customs Intelligence in consultation with Additional Director Nadeem Ahsan constituted a team comprising Deputy Director Dr. Ahsan, In-charge Anti Smuggling Squad Muhammad Aslam, Akmal Hashmi and Pervez Zardari.
According to customs officials, 34 tonnes of smuggled black-tea was stored in the warehouse without any payment in share of customs duty and taxes. The tea was taken into custody after fulfilling legal formalities.
