KARACHI: The Customs Court granted bail to suspects namely Abdul Wahab son of Abdul Rehman Soomro and Ali Akbar son of Muhammad Usman against the surety of Rs200,000 each and directed them to appear before the court on next date of hearing, who were nominated in first information report (FIR) including owner/ partner of M/s Sas Pvt Ltd, owner/ partner of M/s Sarhad Logistics Pvt Ltd and others for smuggling of non-duty paid foreign origin cloths and betel nuts.
On 19 February 2021 counsel for the accused persons appeared before the court and argued that his clients are innocent and have been falsely implicated in this case, who are ready to face trial and submit surety, therefore, the court may grant their bail till final judgment in this case.
After the hearing, the court granted their bail against the surety of Rs200,000 and directed them to appear before the court for the next date of hearing.
Earlier, investigation officer of Intelligence & Investigation-FBR has submitted charge sheet and informs that a credible information was received that some suspiciouspersons are engaged in the smuggling of foreign origin cloth by concealing the foreign origin betel nuts, in the foreign origin clothing which meant for KEPZ and on the same modus operandi one container baring no ECMU-9255000 cleared from MCC Appraisement West Karachi is going to one godown situated at SITE area, Karachi instead of KEPZ through trailer No TLF-091.
He further informed that on pursuance of the said information, a team of ASO was constituted who after heretic efforts, intercepted the said trailer and recovered non-duty paid foreign origin used 8,860 kg clothing and non-duty paid foreign origin betel nuts 17, 500 kgs valuing of Rs. 14,000,000.
Case was registered for violation of under section 2 (s) 16, 32, 157 (2) & 178 of the customs act, 1969 punishable under clauses (8) (9) (14) ibid, read with section 3 of import & export trade control act, 1950, after the hearing, court took FIR into court record and directed investigation officer to complete investigation for next date of hearing.