GILGIT: An effort to smuggle more than 15,465 mobile phones—mostly Android—worth Rs446 million from China into Pakistan through the Khunjerab Pass border crossing was thwarted by Pakistan Customs.
A smuggling case has been filed after the cell phones and other items were taken into custody.
The incident report, filed with the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), states that the Pakistan Customs officials at the Sost Dry Port were notified that a truck bearing the license plate GLTE 1257, which was carrying illicitly imported cell phones and other valuable items, had entered Pakistan from China through the border of the Khunjerab Pass. The truck was parked on the Karakoram Highway (KKH) close to the Dehi area of the Khunjerab Pass, possibly in anticipation of goods being offloaded at night.
According to the report, a team from Customs was dispatched by Assistant Collector of Customs of Sost Dry Port Imtiaz Shigri to examine a parked truck at Barkhoon, near Dehi. They discovered the truck was parked on the roadside with no one around.
More than 8,300 smartphones, 7,100 bar phones, and non-duty-paid items were discovered in the truck.
After asking around, the team learned that the truck had been parked by an unknown individual who claimed that it had a mechanical issue that needed to be addressed by a mechanic.
The group transported the truck to the Sost Dry Port, where they gave it to port and terminal personnel for care and safekeeping.
A notice was posted on the notice board at Sost Dry Port and the baggage section, requesting that the unidentified importer submit the truck’s documents to the Customs Office within 15 days of the notice being issued. If this is not done, the department will take legal action. This was done because no one came forward to claim ownership of the vehicle or the goods kept inside.
After the notification period passed without receiving a response, the Assistant Collector of Sost Dry Port assembled a second team to conduct a physical inspection of the cargo on the vehicle.
According to the team’s report, 15,465 mobile phones—including 8,365 smartphones (such as the iPhone, Oppo, Vivo, One-Plus, etc.) and 7,100 bar phones—as well as other non-duty-paid items—were discovered after the commodities that had been taken from the intercepted vehicle were inspected and checked. These commodities are believed to be worth Rs446 million on the open market. Pakistan Customs has taken possession of the goods.
