KARACHI: MCC Lahore has seized two 40-feet containers of miscellaneous smuggled goods near Saggain bridge, Lahore, which were being transported to Lahore from Peshawar.

Information was received through Collector Lahore that containers loaded with imported goods were brought from dry port Peshawar to Lahore after replacing the imported goods with smuggled goods.

The containers were spotted near Saggian bridge and on query, the drivers of the vehicles presented bilty papers issued by M/s Rehan Cargo Service, Karachi and M/s HP Logistics, and also presented Customs GD with importer name M/s Business Solution, Rawalpindi and M/s Business Linkers.

The containers were brought to state warehouse Lahore. The representative of the owner of goods identified as Haroon Siddique appeared at the state warehouse where the examination of the containers was conducted. The goods were found to be different in quantity and description as compared with the declarations made in the GD.

Haroon Siddique failed to provide legal documents in support of lawful import or legal possession of the goods. It was established that accused including Haroon Siddique, Mohammad Faisal, Ghani Khan and Sajid Qayyum brought smuggled goods into the country in the garb of legally imported goods.

The goods have been seized and investigations are underway.

Sources said these smugglers have established connections with the staff of Directorate General of Intelligence & Investigation. Sources said these smugglers have made official identity cars of Customs Intelligence and they defraud the check posts saying that the goods were seized and they were transporting the seized goods to the offices of Directorate of Customs Intelligence & Investigation.

It may be recalled that officials of Directorate General of Customs Intelligence & Investigations who had developed their network had been transferred thus breaking the entire network of intelligence.

An official said as the elections were closing near, people in government were using government machinery for their nefarious designs.