KARACHI: Directorate of Customs Intelligence and Investigation Karachi in a successful operation has recovered huge quantity of electronic gadgets including iPads, mobile phones and memory cards worth Rs. 20 million.
According to details team of Customs Intelligence Karachi, on information stopped a TCS Delivery Van No. KM-0852 near Shahrah-e-Faisal. Search of van showed hundreds of mobile phones, i-pads and huge quantity of memory cards in the vehicle. The van was escorted to the office of Customs Intelligence for detailed search. Minute scrutiny of the consignment from TCS van revealed that 338 pieces of costly Samsung mobile phones, 41 pieces of i-phones, 12 pieces of i-pads and 13638 pieces of memory cards of different GBs and other accessories were to be delivered to different destinations through TCS courier service. It further came to light that all these gadgets were illegally smuggled in to the country without payment of duties and taxes as no valid document of its legal import were made available. The team of Customs Intelligence participating in the operation included Superintendent Riffat Hussain, Senior Intelligence Officer Haji Aslam and Intelligence Officer Akmal Hashmi, Qasim Alvi and Munawwar Ali. FIR in the case is also being lodged to arrest the culprits involved in the illegal act of smuggling. Further legal formalities with reference to seizure and prosecution are underway as required under the Customs Act, 1969. In response to a query, Director Customs Intelligence Muhammad Asif Marghoob Siddiqui, confirmed the recovery of smuggled items. He added that there was information of smuggling of electronic gadgets and the raid is based on that information. Such operation is expected to be carried out in future also, he concluded. Director further told that TCS in a communication have denied their involvement in the case, however, all legal aspects in this regard are being examined to proceed in accordance with law.
