KARACHI: The Customs Court approved physical remand of suspects namely Abdul Wahab son of Abdul Rehman Soomro and Ali Akbar son of Muhammad Usman and sent them to customs lock-up, who were nominated in first information report (FIR) against owner/ partner of M/s Sas Pvt Ltd, owner/ partner of M/s Sarhad Logistics Pvt Ltd and others for smuggling of non-duty paid foreign origin cloths and betel nuts.
On 26 January 2021 investigation officer of Customs Intelligence & Investigation produced the above mentioned suspects before the court and informed that a credible information was received that some persons are engaged in the smuggling of foreign origin cloth by concealing the foreign origin betel nuts, in the foreign origin clothing which meant for KEPZ and on the same modus operandi one container baring no ECMU-9255000 cleared from MCC Appraisement West Karachi is going to one godown situated at SITE area, Karachi instead of KEPZ through trailer No TLF-091.
He further informed that on pursuance of the said information, a team of ASO was constituted who after heretic efforts, intercepted the said trailer and recovered non-duty paid foreign origin used 8,860 kg clothing and non-duty paid foreign origin betel nuts 17, 500 kilograms valuing of Rs14,000,000.
Investigation officer argued that after the formalities, case was registered against above mentioned suspects and recovered goods also seized by the officials of the customs department. He states that prosecution needs further investigation, therefore, court may approve their physical remand.
After the hearing, court approved their remand and directed investigation officer to produce them on next date of hearing along with progress report.
Case was registered for violation of under section 2 (s) 16, 32, 157 (2) & 178 of the customs act, 1969 punishable under clauses (8) (9) (14) ibid, read with section 3 of import & export trade control act, 1950, after the hearing, court took FIR into court record and directed investigation officer to complete investigation for next date of hearing.
