KARACHI: Authorities at the Collectorate of Customs Airports in Karachi have intercepted an attempt to illegally clear two consignments of live monkeys using forged documents, officials said Monday.
The consignments, containing 26 live monkeys imported from South Africa, were flagged after customs officials discovered that the No Objection Certificate (NOC) presented for clearance was fake. The NOC, purportedly issued by the Ministry of National Food Security & Research’s Animal Quarantine Department, was found to be fraudulent upon verification.
The incident came to light on Jan. 2, when Ovais Amin, representing M/s Khayal Enterprises, approached the Immediate Clearance Group at the Collectorate of Customs Airports to clear the consignments. Amin presented what appeared to be legitimate documents, including an NOC dated Dec. 23, 2024, and other export-related papers. However, upon closer inspection, customs officials grew suspicious of the NOC’s authenticity.
A reference was sent to the Director of the Animal Quarantine Department in Karachi, who confirmed on Jan. 8 that the NOC was indeed fake and had not been issued by their office. The seized consignments, valued at $1,040 (approximately Rs. 291,000), were subsequently detained, and the involved documents were confiscated.
The importer, M/s Khayal Enterprises, along with Ovais Amin and another individual, Yasir Ahmed, are accused of attempting to clear the consignments using fraudulent documents. The case has been registered under Sections 16, 17, 32(1), and 32-A of the Customs Act, 1969, which pertain to violations of customs regulations and the use of forged documents. The accused could face penalties under the Import Policy Order, 2022, and the Import and Export Control Act, 1950.
Customs officials have launched an investigation into the matter. The live monkeys are currently under the custody of the authorities, pending further legal action.
This incident highlights ongoing challenges in combating wildlife smuggling and the use of counterfeit documents to bypass regulatory checks. Authorities have vowed to tighten scrutiny on such imports to prevent similar attempts in the future.