PESHAWAR: The Air Freight Unit (FIU) of Customs Preventive posted at Bacha Khan International Airport (BKIA) thwarted an attempt of smuggling 342 smart phones from baggage of a passenger traveled through Gulf Air flight GF 786 to Peshawar.
The Customs sources disclosed that following a tip-off received from Additional Collector Customs, Preventive Customs staff of Bacha Khan International Airport Peshawar foiled an attempt of smuggling 342 smart phones.
Sources said that market value of the seized smart phones is around Rs11.6 million involving duty and taxes of Rs4.1 million. The contraband mobile phone sets were recovered from the abandoned baggage of a passenger in the Arrival Hall.
The passenger succeeded in slipping away from the hall sensing gravity of situation as Customs staff was on high alert.
The absconding passenger was however identified as Nabeel Ahmad resident of Dabgari. FIR has been lodged under the relevant provisions of Customs Act, 1969 and further investigation is underway.
The Additional Collector Customs Preventive appreciated the work done by the Customs staff and said that ‘we are following hard lines of Collector Customs Preventive Asif Saeed Khan Lughmani to curb the smuggling which causes loss to the national exchequer’.
The collector added that 14th attempt of smuggling has been thwarted by AFU in Peshawar Airport during this current month of May.
