ISLAMABAD: Under the supervision of newly deputed Additional Collector Air Freight Unit (AFU) Nisar Ahmed Phullerwan, the customs staff of the Benazir Bhutto International Airport Islamabad has foiled attempts to smuggle $19,000, at least 100,000 Saudi riyals and one kilogram ice heroin to Saudi Arabia and Bangkok.
During an exclusive interview with Customs Today, Additional Collector AFU Nisar Ahmed Phullerwan said that during initial 20 days of September, with the support and guidance of Tariq Pasha, Chairman Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), Zahid Kokhar, Member Customs FBR, and Dr. Saeed Khan Jadoon, Collector Model Customs Collectorate (MCC) Islamabad, the customs staff of the Islamabad airport showed satisfactory performance against the money launderers and heroin smugglers.
During the last night of 25th of September FY17-18, the customs staff, led by Ali Asad, Assistant Collector Islamabad Airport, intercepted $19000 that was detected at the international departure lounge at 11pm. He added that the said currencies were recovered from a passenger named Muaazullah, a resident of Peshawar, who was travelling by TG Flight-350 bound for Bangkok.
Nisar Phullerwan told CT that on 26th of September FY17-18 during early morning, the second case of one kilogram of ice heroin was unearthed at the Customs Accompanied Baggage counter at departure lounge by a Customs Inspector.
The smuggler of the ice heroin named Iftikhar Khan, a resident of Mardan, was travelling by Airblue Flight No: PA274 which was bound for Saudi Arabia. The accused told customs staff that one of his friends gave him the baggage for someone who lives in Saudi Arabia. He further told CT that the customs staff of the Islamabad airport had intercepted one lakh Saudi riyals from a passenger travelling to UAE during the first week of September after his joining.
Assistant Collector further told the reporter that, during 1st to 25th of September FY17-18, the AFU collected revenue of Rs371.61million of all duties and taxes. During said period, the AFU earned Rs100.52million as Customs Duty (CD). The AFU generated Rs179.53million of Sales Tax (ST) whereas it did Rs91.56million as Income Tax (IT). The AFU is striving to meet the assigned revenue collection target for 1st Quarter (July to September) Fy17-18. The AFU will hopefully chase the allocated revenue target under all the heads while Customs Duty target is somewhat hard to meet.
Answering a query, the Additional Collector told CT that new Islamabad airport will be functional till December FY17-18. The Islamabad Customs and Civil Aviation Authority have finalized the matter relating to the functionality of newly built Islamabad airport. He informed CT that four-minute scanners and solitary big scanners have been approved to install at the Accompanied Baggage (AB) Section of the Islamabad airport.
