LAHORE: Pakistan Customs’ intelligence wing has seized huge quantity of smuggled Indian grey cloth en route from India to Lahore via Dubai.
Directorate General Intelligence & Investigation (Customs) seized 106 containers carrying 585 million meters cloth, which was being illegally imported by six Lahore-based companies, including M/s Dastagir Traders, M/s IC Master, M/s Mustafa Enterprises, M/s SBS Group of Companies, M/s Shahzad Traders and M/s World Fashion Textiles.
Sources revealed that these companies sent about $7.6 million abroad for smuggling of this huge quantity of grey cloth. Sources further said that FIRs have been registered and cases of money laundering will also be framed against these ‘importers’. The money has been siphoned-off illegally to the actual manufacturers/sellers of the cloth in India, which constitutes an offence under the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2010.
The Directorate General, Intelligence & Investigation (Customs) will also report the matter to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and establish money trail.
The Indian cloths were cleared from Dubai Customs and after repacking, the banned item is re-shipped from Dubai to Lahore via Karachi. The false documents were presented that the cloths have been manufactured in China and shipped to Pakistan via Dubai. The ‘importers’ used NLC and Prem Nagar Dry Ports of Lahore to get their consignments, carrying 58,457,586 metres cloth, cleared.
