KARACHI: In a fresh drive against smuggling, the Model Customs Collectorate of Preventive has busted a network of cartels involved in the smuggling of contraband goods, including mobile phones, perfumes, LED TV, refrigerant gas etc, stated Chief Collector Enforcement South Zahid Khokhar.
The chief collector was addressing a press conference at East Wharf KPT on Tuesday. Collector MCC Preventive Syed Tariq Huda, Additional Collector Khalid Hussain Jamali and Assistant Collector Headquarters Syed Muhammad Raza Naqvi were also present on the occasion.
Zahid Khokhar said the MCC seized goods worth Rs 304 million in October, which is the biggest haul in the history of MCC Preventive Custom House Karachi.
The mafia was involved in replacement of transshipment goods of high slab duty with low slab duty en-route to upcountry destination by way tampering Customs container security seals. During the course of investigation in the biggest ever seizure, it emerged that the same mafia was trying to re-export a cargo due to fear of the Customs Department, he added.
As a result, all the Collectorates were requested to inform about the cargo containers pending for re-export. As a consequence, a cargo container was located in the East Wharf KPT, which was in the process of re-export on fake, forged and fabricated documents.
The container was examined and huge quantity of merchandised/contraband goods worth Rs 272.82 million were recovered, involving duty/taxes of Rs 154.92 million.
An FIR No ASO-181/2015 dated 7.12.2015 has been registered in the court of Law. Two persons were arrested while further investigation is underway.
