KARACHI: Customs Court Judge Syed Faiz Rasool Rashdi extended pre-arrest bail of suspects, Muhammad Shoaib Arshad, owner of M/s City Steel UAE Mills (Private) Limited, Imran Ameeen, Muhammad Javad, Muhammad Shahid, Muhammad Arif, Khalid Ahmed, proprietors of M/s Anees & Sons, Farhan Ahmed, proprietor of M/s Farhan Impex, Ghulam Mehdi Nayani, Arif Shahban and others, who were booked for their alleged involvement in smuggling of betel nuts through gross mis-declaration.
On the last date of hearing, the investigation officer of Anti-Smuggling Organization had submitted the First Information Report (FIR) before the customs court against suspects namely Muhammad Shoaib Arshad, Muhammad Arshad, of A.F Enterprises, Muhammad Tariq, Sohrab Khan, Amjad Khan and others in the case.
According to details, a team of Anti-smuggling Organisation found two containers near Shan Chowrangi, Korani Road, Karachi which were stopped and divers were told to show documents of the two containers which were cleared from MCC Port Qasim. The betel nuts were allegedly smuggled in the garb of goods waste and cast iron scrap.
The investigation officer also informed the court that during the searched officials of the customs department recovered Gunny Gags containing betel nuts total weight 80025 kg (gross) worth Rs. 200,062,500 from 06 seized containers.
He said that during the investigation, is has been established beyond any iota of doubt that said suspects in collusion with other accomplices in crime have indulged smuggling of above mentioned contraband betel nuts under the garb of waste and scrap of iron and cleared under HS Code 7204.4100. Hence they have, individually and collectively violated the provisions of section customs laws.
In another case, investigation officer had appeared before the court and submitted FIR, according to the first information report on credible information report, a team of customs department raided at a private godown namely Arbaz Godown situated at plot no A-41 near, police station, SITE Karachi and recovered 8,536 bags weighing 612,032 kgs smuggled/ non-duty paid foreign origin Betel (Areca) Nuts of poor quality, infested and unfit for human consumption valuing to Rs. 1,503,080,000.
He informed the court that case was registered against Adnan, proprietor of M/s ABR Enterprise, Khalid Ahmed, Proprietor of M/s Anees & Sons, Farhan Ahmed, Proprietor of M/s Farhan Impex, Abdul Ghani Ronjah, Proprietor of M/s Kiran Food Products, Farheen Irfan, Proprietor of M/s Rohain Corporation, Ghulam Mehdi Nayani, Arif Shahban, Mansoor Ahmed Proprietor of M/s Dilwala & Co and others to be ascertained during the investigation.
He said that during the investigation, it was revealed that above mentioned suspects in connivance and collusion with each other and their other representatives, associates-in-crime have managed to store huge quantities of smuggled non duty paid foreign origin betel nuts unfit for human consumption in the private godown under the cover of import documents for illegal disposal of the same in local market have individually and collectively violated the import policy.
