KARACHI: Soon after assuming the office of Collector MCC Peshawar, Gul Rehman has started targeting smugglers and foiled several bids to smuggle goods including contraband, weapons and currency to and from Afghanistan.
Despite making all out efforts to contribute towards peace and stability in Afghanistan, the institutions of Pakistan are being criticized and pressurized.
Based on information received from Collector Gul Rehman, an empty 6-wheeler truck, which was on its way back to Afghanistan was stopped by the Customs at Custom Station Torkham for checking.
On thorough checking, some hidden cavities were found in the driver’s cabin. The breaking in of these cavities led to the recovery of one million Saudi Riyals, which were tactfully concealed.
The currency was immediately seized and two persons including a driver and conductor of the vehicle were arrested on the spot. FIR has been lodged and investigations are underway.
Sources said this is a serious issue and warrants thorough investigations to ascertain how much foreign exchange has been transported out of the country through Afghanistan.
Deputy Collector Torkham Fazli Shakoor also made a seizure of 294 12-bore rifles. One driver was arrested. The goods were in a consignment of potatoes to be exported to Afghanistan.
In pursuance of information provided by Collector Customs Peshawar Gul Rehman, Custom Check Post Kohat Tunnel of Anti Smuggling Unit Division Kohat has recovered foreign origin 740 kgs charas, 3.6kg opium and 3 pistols (9mm) from a container loaded on vehicle coming from Peshawar and destined for Karachi.
Initial investigations revealed that the vehicle is registered in the name of Gulmanan Khan s/o Minat Khan R/o South Waziristan Agency. The contraband goods were packed in plastic barrels, which were covered in 30 cartoons of distilled water. The contraband goods were seized under relevant provisions of the customs act 1969 and FIR has been lodged, further investigation are underway.
In other incident, Custom anti Smuggling mobile Squad Peshawar intercepted a 10-wheeler truck on Kohat road near Badabher coming from Bara Khyber agency. The driver of the truck escaped from the scene and left the vehicle on road. Tough resistance was shown by the escorting party, however with help of local police, the vehicle was brought to Custom warehouse, Hayatabad.
The vehicle was found loaded with Acetate Tow, made in USA, 64 bundles each 161kgs used in the cigarette filters. The approximate value of the goods is more than Rs10 million. FIR has been lodged. Further investigations are underway