QUETTA: The Anti-Smuggling Organization (ASO) Quetta, with the assistance of Frontier Constabulary (FC), took into possession a vehicle loaded with a large quantity of expiry contraband extra strong Indian origin Gutka and smuggled cigarettes from Sorab worth Rs21.56million.
A tip-off was received by the Collector of Customs which was communicated to the Deputy Collector Preventive that foreign origin non-customs-paid goods will be transported from Quetta to Karachi through an unfrequented route.
Sources of the MCC Quetta told CT that the staff of the Customs ASO Quetta, with the assistance of FC Kalat Scouts at Khuzdar, intercepted a coach bearing registration No: BSC-808 and recovered 1,360 packets (100 each in packet) of Gutka valued at Rs11.56 million and seized Davidoff named foreign origin cigarettes in quantity of 150 packs priced at Rs0.3 million. The value of the offending vehicle is estimated at Rs7.00 million.
Nobody came forward to claim the ownership of the said goods on the spot, therefore the staff of the Customs Quetta impounded the items along with a coach under section 168 of Customs Act-1969 for violation of provision of section 2 (s)15 & 16 of Customs Act-1969 read with SRO 566 dated 6-6-2005 and further read with section 3 (1) of Import and Export (control) Act-1950 punishable under clause 8,89 of Section 156(1) and 157(2) of the Customs Act-1969 under the proper recovery memo while notice has been issued to unknown persons in terms of section 215 of Customs Act-1969.
