KARACHI: Anti-Smuggling Organization (ASO) of MCC Preventive Karachi has recovered large quantity of foreign origin cutch (katha) worth Rs42.5 million from a warehouse at Mauripur Road in Karachi. An FIR is lodged against persons yet to be ascertained.
Information was passed through Collector Preventive Saquif Saeed to Additional Collector Haroon Waqar Malik regarding presence of smuggled goods in warehouses at Truck Stand on Mauripur Road. Deputy Collector Muhamad Asim Awan formed a team headed by Superintendent Iftikhar Hasan to conduct a raid.
The ASO team reached the spot but no one was present there and no one came to claim the ownership of the warehouse or the goods. After completion of formalities, the warehouse was searched, which led to recovery of 1700 blocks of foreign origin cutch weighing 42.5 tons.
As no one came to claim ownership of the goods, the same were seized. Subsequently, Superintendent Jamal Zia lodged the FIR and investigations are underway.
In another incident, a container coming from Rahimyar Khan was stopped by ASO staff and search of the container led to recovery of large quantity of smuggled cigarette (Benson & Hedges). Information was passed through Collector Preventive Saquif Saeed to Additional Collector Haroon Waqar Malik regarding transportation of smuggled goods from Rahimyar Khan to Karachi. Deputy Collector Muhamad Asim Awan formed a team headed by Superintendent Iftikhar Hasan to thwart the attempt.
The suspected vehicle was spotted, and the search led to recovery of Benson & Hedges cigarette worth Rs4.0 million concealed under the hay bales. The drivers of the vehicle identified as Muhammad Pervez and Muhammad Ishaq were arrested. An FIR is lodged and investigations are underway.
It may be mentioned here that cigarette smuggling causes loss of billions of rupees annually to the national economy. Colector Saquif Saeed has tasked Superintendent Iftikhar Hasan to launch a rigorous crackdown on smuggled cigarettes.
It may be mentioned here that ASO Preventive Karachi has been very efficient against smuggling and made several cases in a short span of time effectively cracking the network of smugglers. ASO Preventive is making cases on daily basis worth millions of rupees.