KARACHI: Customs Court Judge Syed Faiz Rasool Rashdi awarded 16 days imprisonment along with Rs 100,000 fine each to accused namely Mohammed Iqbal, Kulsoom and Saima Fazal after they were found guilty of smuggling of contraband pure gold, national and foreign currency.
On Monday, Investigating Officer (IO) Azhar Mahdi produced the accused along with interim challan before the Customs Court. During the hearing, the accused persons filed applications for pleading guilty and voluntarily place themselves on the mercy of the court.
After the confession by the convicts, the special judge counted 16 days from when accused persons were arrested as their imprisonment.
Meanwhile, investigation officer informed the court in interim challan that he conducted preliminary inquiry into the matter, which revealed that both ladies accused belong to a very poor family and accused Muhammad Iqbal was the master mind in devising the plan of smuggling of gold in camouflaging the colour of gold with foreign currency and used these accused ladies passenger reportedly under duress and altering them for little monetary gain for his ulterior motives.
According to the prosecution, on a credible information, passengers, who were travelling in a group from Karachi to Dubai by Emirates Airlines flight no EK -605, were intercepted at customs counter for examination of their baggage and they were asked to declare whether they were caring any contraband goods like gold, currency, etc on which they all replied in negative.
However, during the examination, customs authorities found 230 grams of pure gold bangles, Saudia Riyal 99,500 and UAE Dirham 13000.
According to the FIR, after completing all legal formalities, accused persons were arrested and case no p-08/2016 – JIAP (Departure) was registered in violation of Section 2 (5),16 & 178 of the Customs Act, 1969, punishable under Section (8) of 89 of Section 156 (i) ibid.
