KARACHI: Customs Preventive ASO has lodged an FIR and arrested three persons who were caught red-handed while replacing the goods of a transshipment consignment bound to Lahore dry port.
M. Ehsan uddin bonded carrier has been nominated in the FIR. This is a very high valued consignment valuing Rs103 million. The container comprised of 28,000 mobile phones, over 200 LEDs, perfumes, contact lenses and other goods.
Sources said that when the ASO team raided the warehouse in SITE area Karachi, the accused had already destuffed the goods and were filling container with washing machines, erasers, cables and other low valued goods.
Customs Intelligence & Investigation and Customs Preventive has initiated a campaign against pilferage and clandestine removal of transshipment cargo.
Chief Collector Zahid Khokhar and Collector Preventive Tariq Huda are monitoring the campaign.
The ASO team is led by Sued Mohammad Raza Naqvi. It may be mentioned here that it is Raza Naqvi’s first posting after joining Customs as CSP and his team has delivered record performance.
Moreover, sources said the Customs I&I ASO team has been put off duty because of their suspected involvement in pilferage of transshipment cargo.
The inappropriate policy and availability of technology at dry ports gave rise to large-scale pilferage of transshipment cargo resulting in a collateral loss to the economy. The concerned authorities have controlled the pilferage of Afghan transit cargo; the unscrupulous elements switched to TP consignments to Peshawar dry port and now they have changed the route to Lahore dry port.
The TP containers should be affixed with trackers and the seals should be imposed on the container door handles.
