Customs foil bid to smuggle antiquities worth millions

Pottery, copper-made digging tools date back to 600 BCE to 1500 BCE, sources say

RAWALPINDI:

Customs authorities Sunday thwarted an attempt to smuggle valuable antiquities worth millions of rupees from Quetta to Islamabad.

According to officials, a suspected smuggler has also been arrested in the intelligence-based raid.

They said an investigation into the case has been initiated from various angles, including the potential connection to smuggling the ancient antiquities to Afghanistan.

The events unfolded when intelligence sources reported receiving information about the possible smuggling of antiques to Islamabad via a passenger bus. Acting on the tip-off, the Customs team intercepted the bus near Chongi No 26. Upon searching, the team uncovered a collection of antiques, including pottery and copper-made digging tools.

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The bus, along with the seized antiquities, was subsequently transported to a warehouse, and a person named Abdul Salam was apprehended. The suspect failed to produce documentation verifying ownership and possession of the antiques. A letter has been dispatched to the director general of archaeology to authenticate and assess the significance of the seized antiquities.

Experts have confirmed the authenticity and uniqueness of the antiques, dating back to 2,600 BCE to 3,500 BCE, suitable for exhibition, with an insurance value of Rs5 million.

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Officials have disclosed that comprehensive investigations are underway, exploring the possibility of smuggling antiquities not only from Quetta to Islamabad but also potentially extending to Afghanistan.

Raids are in progress to apprehend additional suspects. In separate operations, customs officials reported seizing three trucks and two buses, containing smuggled goods such as foreign cloth, Iranian tamarind, and cigarettes, worth millions of rupees, originating from Balochistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 11^th, 2023.