KARACHI: The Customs Court granted pre-arrest bail to seven suspects, who were booked in a case of attempting to smuggle non-duty paid foreign-origin mobile phones and creating hindrance/obstruction in performance of official duties and snatching mobile phones.
On October 16, 2018, counsels for suspects, namely Muhammad Pervez, Muhammad Hussain, Amir, Sumair Ayub, Imran, Muhammad Amir and Abdul Hafeez Dad Wala, argued that their clients are innocents and were falsely booked in this case and they are ready to face trial.
After the hearing, court granted them bail against the surety of Rs100,000 and issued notices to investigation officer and prosecutor for customs department.
According to the prosecution, on an actionable information, a team of customs officials raided at the premises located at Room # 18-B Green Apple 4th floor, Sasi Arcade, Block 7, Clifton, Karachi where smuggled mobile phones were dumped by a syndicate of organized criminals headed by one Muzammil Hussain and his accomplices.
As per FIR, during the search, customs officials found iPhones (Model iPhones-X, iPhone-8 & iPhone-6). I-Pad (Models Tab-E, Galaxy with sim, without sim) Samsung (Models A6, A6plus, Note-8 & Note-9), mobile phones of different brands of Korea, Malaysia and China; however, during the raid, the criminals physically assaulted the officers and spread kerosene oil on customs officials and tried to burn them and snatched 103 pieces of so far recovered mobile phones etc and sensing the dangerous repercussions of the encountered situation, the directorate officers had no other choice but to save their lives who were forced to leave the place of incidence.
A case was registered against them for obstruction in performance of officials duties and snatching mobile phones and in violation of section 2 (s) 16, 167, 178 of the Customs Act, 1969 punishable under Section 156 (1) 8, 77, 85 & 89 ibid.
