SIALKOT: The Anti-Smuggling Organisation (ASO) has foiled a smuggling attempt and seized Indian origin cloth worth Rs 3 million, besides impounding vehicle being used for smuggling.
Sialkot Customs Collector Ahmed Reza Khan received information that a Hino Truck bearing registration No AJK-XA784 loaded with Indian origin cloth is going to Lahore from Mirpur (AJK).
The Collector informed ASO incharge Assistant Collector Fahad Bashir Chaudhary and ordered him to foil the attempt of smuggling. The assistant collector with Inspectors Aftab Ahmed and Nazar Hussain set up a check post near Sarai Alamghir on Grand Trunk (GT) Road, Gujrat, and started checking vehicles.
The team intercepted said Hino Truck and recovered huge quantity of smuggled Indian origin cloth from open place and secret boxes of the truck. The team asked driver Mumtaz and conductor Manzoor about booking documents of recovered cloth but they remained failed to produce the same.
The team confiscated the cloth and shifted it to the warehouse and also impounded the truck under the customs laws, besides arresting the both accused persons. The officials will produce the suspects before the court for getting their physical remand.
However, the Sialkot Customs will refer the case of recovered smuggled Indian cloth and truck to the Customs Adjudication for further legal proceedings.
Officials said that the customs will present the seized items for auction if the decision is announced in favour of the department. They added that vigilance has been enhanced on roads, especially Kashmir Transit Trade route to keep an eye on the smuggling of Indian goods.
