KARACHI: Customs Enforcement Karachi has filed an interim charge sheet before Customs Court against several persons (Afghan nationals) involved in smuggling and money laundering at Tariq Road Karachi and Jama Cloth Market Karachi.
A credible information was received to the effect that a huge quantity of foreign origin smuggled goods and foreign origin smuggled cloth was warehoused at Lucknow Al Jadeed cloth center, adjacent to Jama cloth market, Karachi.
On the directives of Collector Feroz Alam Junejo, Additional Collector Honnak Baloch formed a Customs team under the supervision of Deputy Collector of Customs ASO Inamullah Wazir.
The area police and Sindh Rangers were taken on board to recover the smuggled foreign origin cloth from the premises. As the search was started an instigated mob started pelting stones at the customs officers and officials but the mob was pushed back by the joint efforts of customs and area police.
But the customs officials and officer’s despite of such resistance kept on carrying out the search and found the smuggled cloth at the second floor of the Lucknow Al-Jadeed cloth centre, jama cloth market, Karachi.
The customs officers and officials started loading the recovered foreign-origin cloth into the containers. During that exercise, the mob started to attack again, this time with the weapons, and started firing on the customs officers and officials.
They also attacked the government vehicle with stones and sticks which caused a huge loss to the government vehicles, but they were tactfully handled and pushed back, and the six offenders were apprehended.
Meanwhile, the recovered smuggled cloth was taken into possession and loaded into two 20ft containers and was escorted to the SWH, Keamari, Karachi for detailed examination of the recovered goods and completion of all other legal formalities.
It is pertinent to mention here that the instigated mob created the hindrances in carrying out lawful operation, which somehow sabotaged the operation of recovery of smuggled goods and caused damage and loss to the government vehicles and a colossal loss to national exchequer.
Therefore, the persons apprehended earlier were handed over to area police Aram Bagh police station, Karachi for registration of criminal case.
An official said Afghan nationals having Pakistani CNIC cards were involved in smuggling and money laundering and these elements were also patronized bt political parties including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI).