Customs seizes narcotics and cellphones from bus coming from Balochistan

In compliance with the government’s zero tolerance policy against smuggling, the Customs Enforcement Collectorate Karachi seized drugs, mobile phones and Indian gutka at the Mochko Customs Check Post.

Syed Irfan Ali, a spokesman for Customs, said Customs Enforcement Karachi Collector Moinuddin Ahmed Wani issued orders to check passenger buses coming from Quetta at the Mochko Check Post upon receiving confidential information.

Due to the possibility of the presence of female passengers, Assistant Collector Customs Bisma Noor Jatoi was especially given command of the staff deployed at the check post so that the passengers and goods could be checked under her supervision. The staff deployed at the check post stopped a passenger bus with the registration number LES-522 coming from Balochistan for a detailed check.

As a result of the check, 8.5 kilogrammes of high-grade hashish was recovered from a secret box made in the driver's water cooler, 130 smuggled mobile phones from a secret box made in the bottom of the driver's water cooler, and 9,600 foreign smuggled cigarette packets and 8,200 sachets of smuggled Indian gutka were found hidden in the spare wheel and tool box of the bus.

The exported hashish and smuggled items and the bus used in smuggling were seized by the Customs staff. The total value of the seized items and the bus is Rs17.6 million. An FIR was registered against the bus driver and owner who was travelling in the bus under relevant provisions of the Customs Narcotics Act. The accused have been remanded by the competent court and further investigations are under way.