LAHORE: Customs Lahore Preventive foiled a bid to smuggle 53 new iPhone 6 at the Allama Iqbal International Airport on Thursday.
According to Airport sources, Customs Assistant collector Saqib-ur-Rehman Wrriach received an information that a passenger is travelling through EY243 from Abu Dhabi with non-Customs paid new iPhone 6.
Customs sources said that Inspector Manzoor Ahmad Bhatti, Superintendent Sheikh Mudassar, Inspector Muhammad Asghar were discharging their duty, when they found a confused passenger with one laptop bag and two suit cases.
The sources said that Customs airport officials informed that on suspicion the passenger was asked if he has in his procession anything illegal which the passenger replied in no.
However, when his luggage was searched, Customs authorities recovered 53 iPhones 6, 97 empty mobile boxes, mobile phone chargers, 97 hand frees and other accessories.
The total value of the mobile phones and accessories was valued at Rs 25,00,000.
The Customs officials said that accused passenger was identified as Shahbaz Ali, resident of Allama Iqbal Town and FIR against him has been lodged under Customs Act.
The Customs judge has sent the accused in judicial custody. Earlier this week, Customs Lahore Preventive seized 178 new and used tablet mobile phone of various brands from a passenger at the airport.
Official sources told Customs Today that Customs officials intercepted a passenger coming from London through PIA flight PK-758.
The passenger, Rehan Ahmad Zedi, got confused when customs officials asked him if he possessed anything unlawful, the sources said, adding that the passenger replied in ‘no’.
However, when the passenger was thoroughly examined, the customs authorities, recovered 178 used and new tablet mobile phones of various brands and models.
The customs authorities valued the mobile tables at Rs million. The accused Rehan told the customs authorities that the mobile phones were handed over to him by one Usman in London and he was to hand over the tablets to Bilal Ahmad at the Lahore Airport.
The Customs authorities have arrested accused persons Rehan and Bilal at the airport following lodging FIR against them on a complaint of Customs Inspector Amjad Khan.
