Via courier: Bid to smuggle thousands of kites, deadly string to UAE foiled

Two kite makers arrested; banned items were being sent for Basant festival in Dubai

RAWALPINDI: Police have foiled a fresh attempt to smuggle thousands of kites and deadly string to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) through postal services.

Two suspects were arrested by Civil Lines police on Wednesday for sending the banned items through postal services from Peshawar to Rawalpindi. Half of the kites and string reels were to be smuggled for the Basant festival in Dubai, SHO Civil Lines police station Mian Imran Abbas told The Express Tribune.

PHOTO: EXPRESS

Abbas said that an informant told police that kite makers were using postal services to dodge police, adding that kites and string reels worth of millions of rupees were being smuggled from Peshawar to Rawalpindi.

Taking action on informant’s tip, two suspects, Yasir Nawaz and Fahim Ahmed, were caught red-handed while receiving parcels of kites from district court post office, he said.



SHO Abbas said the suspects, during investigation, revealed that they wanted to mislead the police department and law enforcement agencies by using postal services for their business. Suspects told the police that the confiscated material was to be smuggled to Dubai by air from Islamabad.

PHOTO: EXPRESS

As per Section 4 of Dangerous Kite Flying Act 2001, a case was registered at the Civil Line police station and the suspects were locked up, who will be produced before a local court on Thursday. Police officials further said that a physical remand of the suspects will be demanded so that other suspects involved in this unique crime can be brought to book.

SHO Abbas said that all post masters and courier services were notified that if in future anyone found trying to smuggle kite and string through postal services, legal action will also be taken against the staff member who booked the order.