950817

Customs seize smuggled

goods worth Rs 54 lakh

KARACHI: The Customs staff of the Preventive Collectorate has thwarted various attempts of smuggling and seized large quantity of contraband goods valued at over Rs 54 lakh at Karachi sea port during the last few days.

According to Customs sources the seizures were made following strict vigil mounted at the port to check smuggling of electronic and other goods being brought illegally.

In one case a credible information was received that in view of strict vigil maintained by the staff of Anti-Smuggling Organization and Special Checking Squad, huge quantity of goods imported by sea during the months of April and May in the garb of passenger baggage were lying uncleared.

The information was pursued and a team of officers of ASO and SCS was detailed under the direct supervision of Khawaja Tanvir Ahmed, Deputy Collector, Preventive (HQ).

The team identified the goods at the port area and after completing legal formalities has so far examined 10 consignments at West Wharf.

During the examination process the officials recovered miscellaneous commercial marchandise like cardimums, cotton lace, gents suiting, toys, toys camera, time pieces, toners etc besides baggage items.

The items recovered included 4 refrigerators, 4 cooking range, 13 TV sets, 50 kg plastic beeds, 1700 meter gent suits, 138 doz. Hein oil, 1472 toners, 1550 Chokes, 406 emergency lanterns, 9400 cotton lace, 630 doz nail cutters, 160 door locks, 935 toy cameras, 400 telescopes, 1000 mini time pieces, 526 shampoos, 128 electric iron, 120 ball point 576 musical key chain, 4500 helogen lamp, 429 toy pistol, 700 electric switches, 7 air conditioners, 368 kg cardimum, 420 ventilator fan small, 420 adhesive tape, 24 kg silk yarn, 149 kg Gum stick, 345 kg plastic wax, 86 telephone sets, 12 fan lights, 02 deck (AIWA), 217 Refrigerator Tube coil, 300 Cashu nuts, 282 toner dreed, 382 rayban spray, 04 microwave oven, 640 meter art silk suiting, 85 pocket casette player, 03 AC window, 12 drum for photocopier and 25 kg thread cone.

According to the Customs the C and F value of the goods comes to Rs 40,53,200. The goods were seized under Customs Act.

In another case five more consignments were examined by the Anti-smuggling organization of Preventive Collectorate.

The examination of these consignments resulted in the recovery of 03 Airconditioner, 05 TV Colour, 16 stereo tape deck, 13,080 meter cotton lace, 1280 meter gents suiting, 138 floresent lanterns, 224 pairs joggers, 72 pieces elastic tape, 80 chokes, 72 shampoos, 350 doz nail cutter, 286 toy pistols, 200 helogen lamp tubes, 70 kg cardimum, 100 kg plastic beeds, 420 pocket camera, 100 gent shirts, 24 fan light, 02 juice blender, 18 doz hair oil, 12 inter-com phones, 5 bundles artificial leaves, 10 electric iron, 30 air gun, 100 kg Kashu nuts, 138 transistor radio, 90 pocket radio, 90 refrigerator coil, 56 inter phone, 100 video casettes, 1000 cigaratte lighters, besides other merchandise.

Besides, the Rummaging staff of the collectorate rummaged ship namely M.V. Islamabad which had arrived from Far East and recovered following undeclared and un-manifested cargo.

03 Airconditioners (splite), 01 Ac (window), 08 refrigerators, 09 washing machines, 18 decks, 31 radio corders, 08 speakers, 02 amplifiers and 13 doz shampoos.

The value of goods recovered from 5 consignments and from the ship cargo has been worked out at over Rs 14.11 lakh.

The Deputy Collector Khawaja Tanvir Ahmed said that further investigations were in progress.-APP