SIALKOT: The Sialkot Customs Collectorate’s Anti-Smuggling Organization (ASO) claims to have confiscated non-duty paid Indian red chilies worth Rs 70,000 during vehicle checking on Sambrial Road that were being smuggled under the Kashmir Transit Trade.
Sources told Customs Today that Assistant Collector Fahad Bashir Chaudhary received information that Indian origin red chilies were being smuggled. On receiving the tip, he constituted a team under the supervision of Superintendent Sardar Manzoor, which included Inspector Aftab Ahmed, to check vehicle under the Kashmir Transit Trade.
The ASO team started checking of vehicles on Sambrial Road. While checking, the team spotted a suspicious bus which was coming from Bhimbhar (AJK) and heading towards Sialkot.
The team intercepted the vehicle and searched it thoroughly, and recovered smuggled Indian red chilies worth Rs 70,000. The team asked driver of the vehicle, who was later identified as Ghulam Rasool, about the booking papers of the goods, but the driver failed to produce any booking papers. He just told the customs officials that the red chilies were loaded from the Bus Stand in Bhimber (AJK) and the manager of the bus stand knows better about the booking papers.
On this, the team confiscated the red chilies and released the driver with the bus. However, the team challaned of driver. According to the officials concerned, the team will issue a legal notice to the manager of the bus terminal. The team will send case before the Adjudication Court for hearing. If the Customs Adjudication department will announce judgment in the favor of Customs department then the department will liable to auction the confiscated red chilies.
