KARACHI: The staff of Anti Smuggling Organization (ASO) of MCC Preventive, Karachi has seized a passenger bus bearing registration No BSA-585 along with huge quantity of smuggled merchandise goods including Sanitary ware, Air Conditioners , Laptops, Toiletries, High-Intensity Discharge (HID) lights etc, worth Rs 5.965 million.
The value of passenger bus has been taken as Rs7.0 million. Total value of the case is Rs12.965 million. The seized goods were recovered from the said bus which was intercepted Lucky Chowk near Al- Rehman City, RCD Highway Karachi. FIR in the case has been lodged and efforts are being made to arrest the culprits.
Moreover, the Anti Smuggling Organization has seized huge quantities of smuggled POL products, contraband items and merchandise goods worth millions of rupees during the year 2015 so far.
These include 369,180 liters diesel worth Rs31.215 million, huge quantity of contraband goods including Charas, Liquor, Gutkha etc worth Rs 90.615 million, huge quantity of merchandize goods including black tea, Cigarettes, Cloth, Electronics, Mobile phones, Tyres, Cosmetics etc worth Rs 29.116 million and non-Custom paid vehicles, one wooden launch and 50 conveyances worth Rs86.231 million.
Total value of smuggled goods seized during the year 2015 so far comes to be Rs 287.926 million.
It may be mentioned here that some ministers particularly of Balochistan have a soft corner for smuggling because of unavailability of employment opportunities as well as geo-political crisis in the province.
A couple of years back, collector Gawadar Dr Arsalan Subuctageen and his team were removed because of their relentless efforts against smuggling. The entire team was removed on the directions of an influential provincial minister.
Sources said that smuggling was only benefitting the smugglers while the masses were still deprived in Balochistan.
Smugglers have developed their links and contacts so strong that they guarantee deliver of smuggled goods to the destination anywhere in Pakistan. These smugglers make contacts on ‘done basis’. Special purpose buses are used for this purpose.
If anti-smuggling crack down cannot be undertaken in Balochistan beacsue of the patronage by influential elements, FBR should take strict action against these special purpose buses and these should be confiscated.