KARACHI: Customs Taxation and Anti-Smuggling Court Judge Syed Faiz Rasool Rashdi has directed the investigation officer to complete investigations and submit a charge sheet against suspects namely Muhammad Ibrahim and Bashir. The suspects were booked for attempting to smuggle non-duty paid contraband foreign cigarettes from Iran to Karachi.
During the hearing, the investigation officer sought time to submit the charge sheet, therefore, the court granted him time and adjourned the matter.
Earlier, officials of the Anti-smuggling Organization produced suspects, bus driver Bashir and cleaner Muhammad Ibrahim, before the court for seeking physical remand, but Ibrahim fled from the court. Sources said that he was not hand-cuffed during the hearing.
However, the customs authorities arrested him from Balochistan when he was trying to enter Afghanistan via Chaman Border and produced him before the court. On the last hearing, the court sent him to jail on judicial remand and directed the investigation officer to produce them on the next date of hearing along with progress report.
According to the prosecution, on credible information, officials of the customs department intercepted a bus which was coming from Quetta and during the search, recovered huge quantity of foreign brand cigarettes from their possession.
