Customs officials bust mobile phones smuggling racket

Seized mobile phones meant for Afghanistan, being sold in Pakistan

Directorate Afghan transit trade has stopped 4 containers at the Karachi port involved in smuggling mobile phones across the border. According to sources, these containers had 123,000 mobile phones of Q250 model from QMobile.

Pakistan Customs officials, acting in sync with other law enforcement agencies, have seized almost 253,000 mobile phones over the past five days. Directorate Afghan transit trade has seized 123,000 phones. These operations against phone smugglers have sent shockwaves around the industry, with gangs responsible for the movement of mobile phones running for cover.

While investigating the contents of the containers, it has also come to light that the phones being exported to Afghanistan had serial numbers and IMF numbers usually found on mobile phones being sold inside Pakistan, and the manuals inside the boxes were also in Urdu.

According to sources, the seized phones are worth 33 crore rupees.

As Pakistan has strengthened the laws around border consignments and declarations, the smugglers have started using the Afghan transit trade route, and instead of shipping the consignments of mobile phones over to Afghanistan after clearance from Pakistani border officials, the phones are being sold in Pakistani markets.   This malpractice has cost the exchequer losses amounting to 33 crore rupees.