Customs authorities foiled big smuggling bids in 2015

LAHORE

Although the arrest of Ayyan Ali by the Customs authorities remained talk of the town in 2015 for her alleged involvement in currency smuggling case but the Customs authorities have also foiled many attempts of gold and currency smuggling at Lahore Airport, valuing more than what she was allegedly smuggling.

A month after the arrest of Ayyan Ali at Benazir Bhutto Airport, Islamabad, Customs authorities at Lahore Airport apprehended a passenger who was carrying currency worth 1,700 Saudi Riyals, 46,600 UAE Dirham, 240,000 Euro, 41,000 Swiss Franc, amounting total to Rs30.32 million and 1,300 tola gold, amounting Rs60 million. He wanted to smuggle the currency and gold to Dubai.

During investigation, he confessed his crime before a court of law whereas other accused in the case including his uncle and others were also arrested by Customs investigators. He owns six shops at the Lahore Airport and among those some are located inside the International Passenger Departure Lounge.

Officials of Airport Security Force (ASF) were also grilled in the same case and their role is yet to be determined by the Customs authorities.

In another incident, the customs officials foiled a bid to smuggling two kilogram gold during the baggage’s search of two passengers who arrived at Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore from Dubai.

Besides, the Customs officials managed to confiscate 600-tola gold from the possession of another passenger at Lahore airport. The accused was bringing the gold, consists of 60 baskets, while tying with his legs. It may be mentioned here that in May 2015, the Collector Customs (Preventive) Lahore Mukarram Jah had revealed that customs officials could check only five per cent of total passengers at airports as per policy of the federal government.

Nevertheless, 2015 also witnessed a legal battle between the two federal departments, ie Customs and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) when latter conducted a raid at a godown in Lahore and recovered smuggled clothes, perfumes, tyres, etc. worth millions of rupees.

When FIA booked some Customs officials after initial probe for their alleged role in ‘facilitating’ the accused smuggler, Customs officials moved to a court of law, challenging former’s powers of raids. After fighting for months in the court, the honorable court gave its verdict in favour of FIA.

In 2015, the Customs authorities and other department concerned could not bring back a Pakistani truck driver, who entered India in April on a travel permit, and was arrested after an Indian porter was accidentally crushed to death under his vehicle inside the port premises.

He remained behind the bar for six months until the court acquitted him after the deceased’s family withdrew the police case following a compromise but he is still languishing in a warehouse in Amritsar for the last three months and nothing could have been done for his release as yet.

A senior Customs Lahore official, seeking anonymity, told The News that during 2015, they managed to foil many attempts of gold and currency smuggling at Lahore Airport and same efforts would be continued during 2016. To a question, he said efforts were underway to get early release of the truck driver.