MULTAN: Collectorate of Customs sold auctioned two consignments of foreign origin fresh apples in Rs3.366 million.
According to details, the Collectorate conducted auction seized fresh apples at State Ware House of Customs located in Industrial Estate. Huge number of fruit brokers participated in the auction of fresh apples. Bidders were offered foreign origin apples at a cheaper rate than market price.
It is pertinent here that Customs anti-smuggling team intercepted two trucks near Mian Channu which were loaded with fresh apples packed in different plastic crates and trucks were coming from Balochistan to transport said fresh apples to South Punjab.
Customs Anti-Smuggling Squad recovered 1695 plastic crates approximately 16950 kgs of foreign origin fresh apples. The fresh apples were Afghan origin and they were being transported in local fruit markets. Demand of foreign origin apples witnessed increase in Punjab due to holy month of Ramzan and smuggling of apples has also been increased in the jurisdiction. Intercepted apples were auctioned early because they are perishable items.
Assistant Collector Dry Port Muhammad Fahad Jamil and Inspector Qaiser Rasheed Khan supervised the auction of foreign origin apples.