KARACHI: Out of 508, at least 483 black spotted turtles (Geoclemys Hamiltonii) worth Rs 1.3 million expired during an attempt to smuggle the same to Malaysia, Investigation Officer Superintendent Farhat Ullah Jafri told Customs Court Judge Syed Faiz Rasool Rashdi on Monday. During the hearing, the investigation officer also submitted a challan which was accepted by the court.
Earlier, Jafri informed the court that the staff of the Directorate General, Intelligence & Investigation- FBR (Customs Enforcement) Karachi, has lodged FIR no 36/2016 dated 16/08/2016 against accused Abdul Hameed of M/s Al Hameed Enterprises, Karachi Tuseef Ahmed Siddiqui owner of The M/s Saras International and others, who have been found involved in the smuggling of black spotted turtles . The turtles were shipped to Klang Selangor, Malaysia, vide good declaration dated 2504/2016 filed through M/s Saras International, Karachi under the garb of export of 29 matric ton of fresh potatoes of Pakistan origin.
The officer said that Tauseef Ahmed Siddiqui, owner of M/s Saras International, who allegedly played a role in the commission of offense, was arrested on 22/08/2016.
He revealed that during the smuggling and shipment, 483 turtles expired and only 25 remaining were alive. The names of Muhammad Samad Hussain Khan, Assistant Secretary (Wildlife), Ministry of Climate Change, and another official Imtiaz Ali were mentioned in the challan as witnesses.
Accused persons namely Abdul Hameed and Tuseef Ahmed Siddiqui sent to Central Jail Karachi in judicial custody, however Muhammad Rafi son of Abdul Aziz and Muhammad Rashid Hussain son of Muhammad Hussain were mentioned as absconding accused.
