KARACHI: Special Court for Control of Narcotic Substances (CNS) acquitted an accused while sentencing co-accused in a case of smuggling 1086 Kilograms of Ketamine substance filled in bottles having label of Rose Water destined to a Gulf country.
The Anti Narcotics Force (ANF) Clifton lodged the F.I.R following recovery of contra band from a Container No GESU-3138575 under export on the export documents of accused Asif Badruddin proprietor of M/s Smart Tex to consignee M/s Astro Pacific General Trading, Dubai, UAE. Clyde D’ Costa was also booked for assistance in alleged smuggling for absconding accused Sheng Ming Zhong, a Chinese National.
As per details the Chinese national hired D’costa, an interpreter against a salary of rupees 60,000 per month. Later D’costa got a place hired for Sheng Ming Zhong in Korangi Industrial Area where the rose water bottles were arranged and loaded in the container. The container was then moved to a place in Sultanabad Karachi where it remained for a couple of days. A number of other items like black seeds, Mushk and Betel Nuts were also loaded in the container before it reached Karachi International Container Terminal for export on 19-3-2022 when the ANF on a spy information conducted a raid and recovered 1086 Kilogram of Ketamine Liquid in bottle labeled as Rose Water. ANF arrested Asif Badruddin and Clyde Dcosta who were charged by the CNS court.
Asif Badruddin represented by Raja Baber Hameed Advocated admitted that he has provided Form E for the subject consignment against a fee as per market practice. It was also contended that accused Asif has no conscious knowledge of seized Ketamine recovered from the container/consignment.
Clyde Dcosta represented by Umer Farooq Advocate took the plea in defense that he was a certified interpreter who learnt Chinese from Sechuan University of China and was employed by absconding accused as Interpreter. He admitted that he arranged ware house for Ming at Korangi Industrial Area and also helped in purchase of bottles etc. However he has played no role in alleged smuggling.
During cross examination by Umer Farooq Advocate, counsel for the accused Dcosta, IO of the ANF admitted that Dcosta never visited Sultanabad area where container remained stationed for few days. IO also admitted that as per his investigations accused Clyde Dcosta had no knowledge of attempted crime. Upon this statement of IO CNS court gave benefit of doubt to the accused Dcosta and acquitted him of charge while Asif Badruddin was held guilty and while giving him benefit of being under custody since 2022, he was given one year sentence and fined for rupees 500,000.
The CNS court also ordered keeping the case against absconding accused Ming Sheng Zhong and M/s Astro Pacific General Trading on dormant file. The court also ordered to keep recovered samples in custody while Ketamine Liquid in bulk was ordered to be auctioned for medical and industrial use with sale proceeds to be deposited in government treasury.