QUETTA: Customs Quetta has seized large quantity of smuggled cloth, which was being smuggled to down country in the garb of a fake Escort Letter purportedly issued by Custom House Taftan.
Information was passed through Chief Collector Gul Rehman to Collector Quetta Irfan Javed that large quantity of cloth smuggled from Afghanistan will be transported to down country under the garb of fake documents for transshipment from Taftan to Quetta.
Additional Collector Yasir Kalwar advised Deputy Collector Dr. Zohaib to form a team to foil the attempt.
Accordingly, Customs staff kept strict watch on road checking. Subsequently, a Hino trailer loaded with a container coming from Taftan was stopped at Dalbandain. The driver of the vehicle provided a copy of escort letter purportedly issued by Custom House Taftan mentioning the goods to be 162 rolls carpet. He did not provide any other documents. The Escort Letter was proved to be fake.
The container was opened for examination, which led to recovery of foreign origin curtain cloth, gents cloth, ladies jersey cloth and suiting cloth. The value of the smuggled goods and transport comes to Rs40.5 million.
The driver of the vehicle named Hafeezullah is arrested and goods along with transporting vehicle is seized and investigations are under way.
Moreover, Customs staff comprising Superintendent Saleem Agha and Inspector Mir Qalam seized smuggled goods including cloth and almonds worth Rs7 million at Nokandi.
It may be mentioned here that Customs Quetta is keeping strict vigilance on Quetta-Chaman highway, due to which the smugglers have switched to Taftan-Quetta highway.