KARACHI: Directorate of Customs Intelligence and Investigation (I&I) has seized huge quantity of laptops and electronic goods which were being imported in the garb of diplomatic consignment.
Sources told Customs Today that credible information was received through Director General Customs Intelligence Mr Faiz Ahmed Chadhar that huge quantity of smuggled goods have been dumped in a container and the conCtainer is hidden in a private yard in a warehouse in Maripur.
After receiving this information, Director Engineer Habib and Additional Director Afzal Wattoo enhanced surveillance of the area, gathered further information and intercepted the said container.
Detail search was conducted on the directives of Deputy Directors Inamullah Wazir and Wasif Malik by ASO Superintendent Irshad Shah, which led to recovery of huge quantity of smuggled laptops and other electronic items. The worth of smuggled goods so recovered has been estimated to be around Rs 200 million.
Investigations have been initiated by Customs Intelligence and investigationi to reach out to the planners, financiers and executors of this attempt of smuggling.
These goods were imported by the embassy of a Middle Eastern country. An official said the staff of embassy and staff of Ministry of Foreign Affairs are likely involved in this scam.
It is a very safe way of smuggling because diplomatic consignments are not usually examined because several permissions are needed to conduct such examination.
Customs Appraisement East and Directorate of Customs I&I Karachi have made cases against this particular embassy.
