Customs seizes Rs84m contraband items

The staff of the Anti-Smuggling Organisation (ASO) of the Collectorate of Customs Enforcement has seized contraband items worth Rs84 million in two cases, according to Irfan Ali, a spokesman for the Customs.

Ali said that the staff of the ASO posted at the Mochko checkpoint on the RCD Highway intercepted a bus that was on its way from Quetta to Karachi. Upon searching the bus it was found that the bus was especially engineered for the purpose of smuggling. Moreover, opening the cavities resulted in the recovery of a large number of used bullet shells of 7.62 and 12.32 calibres.

Further search resulted in the recovery of men’s and women’s suit pieces, Gutka and tyres. The total value of the seized goods and the vehicle is estimated to be Rs24 million. Three people have been arrested, and an investigation has been launched.

The spokesman said that based on credible information, an ASO team also raided two factories located in the Korangi Industrial Area, and recovered 12 trucks loaded with 20.7 metric tonnes of undyed and 20.3 metric tonnes of unbleached smuggled grey cloth with a total market value of Rs60 million. Two cases have been registered and investigations initiated.