KHUZDAR: In a dramatic turn of events in the Zero Point area, customs officials narrowly escaped being run over by a bus driver who refused to stop for inspection. Contrary to initial reports, the vehicle was not a passenger bus but was instead carrying four smugglers and smuggled goods, as confirmed by intelligence reports available to the customs staff.
The incident began when information about the movement of smugglers in a bus was relayed from Collector Umar Shafiq to Deputy Collector Talha Salman. Acting on this tip, customs officials attempted to intercept the bus. However, the driver, instead of complying, accelerated towards the officials, attempting to run them over.
The bus, which was escorted by a car filled with armed men, crashed through barriers set up by the customs officials. The smugglers then physically assaulted the officials. Despite the chaos, with the assistance of local police, both the bus and the escorting car were eventually seized. Smuggled betel, gutka and cigarettes worth Rs25.6 million.
An FIR has been lodged at Khuzdar Police Station against the unidentified smugglers, although intelligence agencies have since identified the culprits.
This incident follows the recent arrest of Abdul Bari, a notorious smuggler in Balochistan, last month. Deputy Collector had received credible information about various buses and coaches carrying smuggled goods parked at Chaman Hotel near Bela on Main RCD Road. Acting on this intelligence, a joint operation was planned with the District Police of Uthal and Bela.
Upon reaching the location, the joint forces identified a blue bus with a fake Daewoo logo, as pointed out by an informer. The bus, with its registration number obscured, was found to be specially modified for smuggling, featuring hidden compartments in the roof, back, and floor. Although the bus was initially unoccupied, inquiries revealed it belonged to Abdul Bari.
The customs staff, after a thorough search, arranged for other vehicles to transfer the smuggled goods. An electrician was brought in to start the bus, which had been tampered with to prevent easy ignition. Just as the customs staff were about to move the bus and the transferred goods, Abdul Bari arrived on the scene. He threatened the officials and incited a crowd to block the road, even parking another coach in the middle of Main RCD Road to obstruct the customs operation.
Despite these challenges, the customs and police forces managed to secure the bus and the contraband, marking a significant victory in their ongoing battle against smuggling in the region.