MULTAN: In a major crackdown, the Collectorate of Customs (Enforcement) Multan has foiled a significant smuggling attempt, intercepting a vehicle and seizing a large cache of foreign-origin silver bars valued at approximately Rs. 25.9 million.
The successful operation was launched after Collector Sumair Mustansar Tarar received credible intelligence regarding the smuggling of silver via a Toyota Premio car (Registration No. AYX-334) traveling from Quetta to Multan. Acting on this information, Deputy Collector Jawad-ul-Hasan led and executed the raid under the vigilant monitoring of Additional Collector Itrat Hussain.
On the afternoon of October 29, 2025, the customs team intercepted the suspect vehicle at the Sher Shah Toll Plaza in Multan. The car was occupied by two individuals: driver Muhammad Yousaf and passenger Abdul Hadi, both residents of Chaghi district.
During initial questioning, the men denied carrying any contraband. However, their nervous behavior prompted the officials to conduct a thorough search of the vehicle. The inspection revealed a sophisticated concealment, with several silver bars hidden in the grill area above the bonnet and beneath the front seats.
A total of 59 silver bars, each weighing approximately 1000 grams, were recovered. The total weight of the seized contraband is around 59,000 grams (59 kg). The bars, wrapped in white adhesive tape, bore the embossed stamp “Nadir metal (NMR) refinari.”
When asked to provide legal documentation for the possession of the silver, the accused failed to produce any proof. In their preliminary statements, they claimed to have purchased the silver in Multan over three months prior with the intention of selling it in Quetta, but were now returning to Multan due to low market prices there.
The seized silver, with an approximate value of Rs. 25.907 million, and the Toyota Premio car, valued at around Rs. 4.5 million, have been taken into custody. The total value of the seizure stands at over Rs. 30.4 million.
The silver has been securely deposited in the State Warehouse and will be sent to the Pakistan Mint in Lahore for a detailed assay report to confirm its purity and nature.
A formal complaint has been lodged against Muhammad Yousaf and Abdul Hadi, along with any other accomplices, for severe violations of the Customs Act, 1969, and related import control laws. The charges include smuggling goods into the country without payment of duty and taxes, causing a significant loss to the national exchequer.
The case highlights the continued efforts of Customs authorities to combat the smuggling of precious metals and protect the national economy.