KARACHI: Collectorate of Customs Preventive has registered a FIR at Jackson Police Station as goods are being stolen from the State Warehouse in Kemari area.
Sources said that a gang of some unscrupulous elements stole eight PP bags each weighing 30 Kg containing seized smuggled foreign origin betel nuts from Customs State Warehouse-III, Keamari.
The initial probe conducted by the staff of ASO/HQ has revealed that a Suzuki Bolan Pick-up bearing Registration No. CN-2908 (reportedly owned by Saleem Policewala) has been used in this act of theft and the following locals of Keamari Area, who are habitual criminals in this regard, are involved in this sinister act.
The accused involved Saleem (Gang leader & owner of the above said vehicle), Shakeel, Gull, Pappy, Zeeshan, Noroz, Shani, Ishaq, Faizan, Chopa, Panja, Zohaib Khan, Janu ka Bhateja and Akram s/o Hazrat Gull.
Accordingly, an FIR has been lodged in the Jackson Police Station and efforts are underway to apprehend all the accused alongwith recovery of theft betel nuts and impounding of the vehicle used in the incident.
Furthermore, the Customs staff posted at the said Warehouse including Sepoy Warsha and Sepoy Majeed Niazi have been placed off-duty and fact finding inquiry has been initiated, which is being conducted by Omar Shafique, Additional Collector (HQ-I) and Shafi Ullah, Assistant Collector (HQ-I) for ascertaining the involvement and role of Customs staff posted at State Warehouse-III.
Sources said theft of goods from the state warehouse was going on for some time and certain staff was involved in this theft.
Sources said similar was the case with I&I Karachi warehouse.
Millions of rupees of confiscated goods are reportedly stolen, which is why Customs staff is unwilling to either destroy the goods or auction them, because this will exposed the quantum of the stolen goods.
It was also known that one Muhammad Umair approached the Court seeking return of case property i.e. 660kg betel nut, which had been seized.
However, after the disposal of case, Muhammad Umair approached the state warehouse to claim his property, but the staff put him in custody accusing him of theft despite showing court order. Umair was threatened and later released without his goods.
Sources said the said betel nut had been stolen from the warehouse with the active involvement of certain Custom staff.
Meanwhile, I & I Karachi has posted officials officials and sepoys in two shifts A&B, at the warehouse in F.B Area on special security duty to avoid further theft of goods.
