ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency’s Anti-Corruption Circle Karachi has made a significant breakthrough in its anti-smuggling investigation, unearthing a chain of Customs officers who have been facilitating smugglers.
As a result, First Information Reports (FIRs) have been filed against five Customs officials and others involved in the illicit activities.
According to the available copy of the FIR, a team from FIA ACC Karachi conducted a raid at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi. During the operation, two Customs officials, identified as Tariq Mehmood, Superintendent (ASO), and Yawar Abbas, Superintendent Operation, were apprehended while attempting to board Flight No. PA-208 bound for Islamabad on July 13, 2023, at 21:30 hours.
During the search, the FIA team discovered the identity and official service cards of the accused Customs officials. Furthermore, a subsequent search of their official vehicle, a Toyota Vigo with the registration number GPA-297, parked at the airport’s parking lot, led to the recovery of a substantial amount of cash. The recovered items included PKR 5,437,200, US Dollar 2,400, and UAE Dirham 6,100.
Upon further investigation and interrogation, Tariq Mehmood and Yawar Abbas confessed that the recovered amount was “speed money” collected from various Customs officials, including the concerned Collector, Additional Collector, Deputy Collector, Superintendent, SPS, SPO, and Pos. They also revealed that the monthly collection from all Customs check posts, such as Mochko, Mach Goth, Sohrab Goth, and Ghaggar Phatak, amounted to approximately 40 to 50 million PKR. Additionally, they disclosed that around Rs 60 million was collected in facilitation of the smuggling of betel nut.
The accused Customs officials were subsequently taken to the FIA ACC Karachi for further investigation into their connection with the smugglers and their involvement in facilitating the organized transportation of smuggled goods. During the interrogation, Tariq Mehmood and Yawar Abbas implicated other Customs officers who were also receiving bribes/speed money for facilitating smugglers.
According to the FIR, Saqif Saeed, who was appointed as Director Anti-Smuggling Organization (ASO) in 2020, played a key role in establishing the organized smuggling network. He appointed trusted individuals within the anti-smuggling division to collect speed money from various smugglers. Usman Bajwa, who later replaced Saqif Saeed as Director ASO, continued to facilitate the smugglers in exchange for bribes/speed money amounting to approximately Rs 100 million per month. In February 2023, Amir Thaheem assumed the position of Director Anti-Smuggling and provided protection to smugglers involved in various illegal activities.
The FIR also revealed that Tariq Mehmood disclosed the involvement of Imran Noorani, who operates a smuggling network for betel nut from the border areas of Balochistan to Karachi. Imran Noorani also runs a chhalia factory under the name of M/s Sunny Prodycts in the Shershah Industrial Area of Karachi.
Following the approval of the competent authority, a case has been registered against Tariq Mehmood, Yawar Abbas, Saqif Saeed, Usman Bajwa, Amir Thaheem, Imran Noorani, and others under relevant sections of the law, including the Pakistan Customs Act 1969 and the Prevention of Corruption Act 1947.
The FIA’s breakthrough in uncovering this network of Customs officers facilitating smugglers marks a significant step in the fight against corruption and illegal activities in the country.
