KARACHI: The Customs Court has sent Riaz Sultan, proprietor of M/s Ali Bagh Enterprises and another Muhammad Ibrahim to the Customs Department on physical remand. The suspects were booked for attempting to smuggle betel nuts in the garb of import of soap stock and were also involved in evasion of duties and taxes through mis-declaration of the impugned goods.
During the hearing, Investigation Officer Malik Muhammad Hashim produced the suspects before the court and informed that they were involved in crime mentioned in the First information Report no 8/2018-R7D East for smuggling of betel nuts and duties and taxes evasion.
He further informed the court that both the suspects had been arrested and notices were served on them under Section 171 of the Customs Act, 1969 and copies of the FIR have been supplied to them. Both the accused persons were produced before the court with the request that they might be remanded in the customs custody for seven days to enable the investigation agency for a comprehensive inquiry of the case.
After the hearing, court sent them to customs custody on physical remand and directed investigation officer to produce them on next date of hearing along with progress report.
According to the prosecution, importer mis-declared the goods as soap stock 71250 kilograms value of Rs. 922,605 and during the raid, customs authorities recovered soap stock 60655 kilograms worth Rs. 922,605 and betel nuts 8400 kilograms valuing to Rs.1,375,894 from their possession.
