ISLAMABAD: Directorate General of Customs Intelligence and Investigation has impounded a container load with foreign origin non-duty paid miscellaneous goods including almonds, cashew nuts, fig, raisins, dry apricot, green tea, skin stapler, ladies bag and suite cases worth Rs 7.7 million by evading duty and taxes of Rs 2.2 million.
Source told Customs Today that on a tip off, an anti-smuggling team comprising Intelligence Officers Maqbool Ur Rehman, Shahid Majeed and Qaiser Khan intercepted a Nissan trailer bearing registration no: TLH 580 loaded with container no: INKU 2848862 coming from Peshawar near Chungi No. 26 Motorway Chowk Islamabad being driven by Muhammad Riaz Khan.
Sources said that the search of the vehicle was conducted in the presence of the driver which led to the recovery of nine bags of (each 64 kilogram) total weight 676 kg of foreign origin almonds with soft outer husk (with shell), 10 bags of (each bag 80 kg) total weight 800 kg foreign origin almonds without shell, five bags (total weight 220 kg) of foreign origin cashew nuts, 180 kilograms of fig, 486 kilograms of foreign origin raisins, 1750 kilogram apricot without seeds, 70 kg green tea, China origin suite cases size 3×1 20.24.28, China origin suite case, skin stapler 1 carton, foreign origin ladies underwears 145 kilogram, ladies beauty boxes, and school bags.
On demand the driver could not produced any evidence regarding legal import or lawful possession of recovered foreign miscellaneous goods except bilties , issued by Peshawar Lahore Goods Transport Co.( Regd) opposite truck stand Haji Camp Peshawar.
Anti smuggling team seized the foreign origin miscellaneous goods along with Nissan trailer loaded with container being smuggled one under section 168 of the Customs Act 1969.