QUETTA: Customs Intelligence and Investigation (I&I) Quetta has seized two vehicles smuggled into the country and filed First Information Reports (FIRs). This action follows the suspension of two intelligence officers, Nasrullah and Rehan Zaib, amid allegations of facilitating a vehicle smuggling scam.
Investigations revealed that while records indicated the confiscation of smuggled vehicles, these vehicles were, in fact, still being used by their owners. It was discovered that some vehicles, reportedly in Dubai and Japan, were listed as seized by I&I Quetta. This allowed owners to later acquire the vehicles through bidding, circumventing duty and taxes. Additionally, vehicles over three years old were being imported, violating the import policy order.
In a bid to manipulate auction values, vehicles in mint condition were falsely declared as damaged. Consequently, the actual importers could win the auctions at reduced prices. An unspoken rule in Quetta ensured that only the vehicle’s owner would participate in the bidding process.
Engineer Riaz Memon, Director of I&I Quetta, is spearheading the investigation into these irregularities. Memon’s appointment as Collector in Quetta came upon the recommendation of the former Director General of I&I, Faiz Ahmed.
The lodged FIRs serve as a stern warning to all involved parties, including customs officers, officials, and smugglers. The new directive stipulates that once an FIR is filed, the implicated vehicles cannot be auctioned. This marks a departure from previous practices where customs would simply confiscate and then auction off the vehicles with relative ease.