KARACHI: Customs Intelligence and Investigation Karachi (I&I Karachi) has recovered large quantity of smuggled goods worth Rs369 million compound near Rizvia Society, Scheme 33, Karachi.
Director I&I Saquif Saeed addressing a press conference said information was provided by the Director General Faiz Ahmed that an organized group involved in smuggling would secretly dump a huge quantity of smuggled goods in a compound near Rizvia Society, Scheme 33, Malir Karachi.
Additional Director Afzal Wattoo, Additional Director Nausheen Faisal, Deputy Director Inamullah Wazir, Superintendent ASO Bhutto were also present.
Pursuant to the information, an anti-smuggling team led by Inamullah Wazir was constituted comprising Superintendent Bhutto, IOs Hasan Sardar, Zaheer Cheema, Yawar Abbas, Ishtiaq Ahmed, Babar Hasan, Hatim Bhaio, who started surveillance. Sepoys Shah Khalid, Habib Ullah, Abdul Waheed tactfully performed round the clock surveillance.
Later, the team noticed two Mazda Trucks coming out of the premises. The team chased the trucks and got successful in intercepting both on Rashid Minhas Road. On cursory search, these were found to be loaded with foreign origin assorted laptops.
When the drivers failed to provide any documents showing legal import/possession, the aforementioned trucks along with the drivers were escorted to the office of the Directorate.
Meanwhile, another truck was witnessed exiting the premises which was also intercepted by the team near Askari Park, University Road, Karachi. Initial search revealed it too be loaded with Aircraft Piston Engine oil. When the driver failed to produce any legal documents the same was brought to the office.
Thereafter, a search warrant of the premises was obtained from the Civil Judge & Judicial Magistrate, Malir. When the team entered the premises, it found another Mazda Truck and a Suzuki pickup loaded with smuggled goods.
There were also other smuggled items lying in the premises, which were then loaded on a truck. All the smuggled goods along with vehicles were brought to the Directorate.
Detailed inventory of the goods recovered has been prepared. Value of the smuggled goods is around Rs369 million and that of vehicles is Rs 24 million (Total Rs.389). FIR is registered against Altaf Gul, Muhammad Khan, Irfan and others. Further investigations are in progress. It is also being investigated whether this US origin aircraft oil was smuggled by some private airline or the flying club.
The seized goods include cheese, wrist watches, laptops, aircraft engine oil and other food items. However, no one has appeared to claim the ownership of Rs389 million worth of goods, which shows the secrecy this cartel is observing.
An official said the accused group was long involved in smuggling in the garb of diplomatic consignments. Earlier, these very people were found involved in smuggling of liquor and other banned goods in the garb of diplomatic consignment of Palestine.