GADANI: In a major crackdown on smuggling activities, the Collectorate of Customs (Enforcement) in Gadani intercepted a passenger bus carrying smuggled goods worth approximately PKR 68.2 million at the Khurkhera Check Post early this morning.
Acting on a tip-off from Collector Azhar Hussain Merchant, customs officials stationed at the Khurkhera Check Post stopped a passenger bus (Registration No. BSC-232) arriving from Quetta en route to Karachi. Upon inspection, the team discovered a large cache of smuggled goods concealed under the seats and in the rear of the bus. The seized items included:
– Betel Nuts (Crushed and Grinded): 3,640 kg (valued at PKR 3.276 million CIF, PKR 18.2 million market value)
– Foreign-Origin Cigarettes (Mond & Pine): 500 outers (PKR 2.25 million CIF, PKR 5 million market value)
– Gutkha Products (Safina and Adab brands): 102,500 pouches (PKR 5 million CIF, PKR 5 million market value)
– Passenger Bus: Used for smuggling (PKR 40 million market value)
The total provisional value of the seized goods was estimated at PKR 10.526 million, with a market value soaring to PKR 68.2 million. The duty and taxes evaded amounted to PKR 17.674 million.
The bus and goods were detained after no claimant came forward to provide legal documentation. A public notice under Section 171 of the Customs Act has been displayed at the Khurkhera and Gadani Customs offices, initiating adjudication proceedings.
The operation was led by Additional Collector Najeeh Arjumand, Deputy Collector Aadarsh Jawahery, and Inspector Toseef Ahmed in charge Kurkhera Check Post. Witnesses included sepoy staff Muhammad Kamran and Ameer Ahmed.
Authorities suspect the goods were smuggled into Pakistan via unauthorized routes, evading customs duties. Betel nuts, cigarettes, and gutkha are frequently smuggled due to high demand and tax differentials. The bus, allegedly used exclusively for smuggling, underscores the evolving tactics of smuggling networks.