KARACHI: Pakistan Customs on Tuesday foiled an attempt to smuggle a substantial quantity of gold and foreign currency at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport, leading to the arrest of two sisters. According to a Customs spokesperson, officials of the Customs Collectorate intercepted the women during profiling and detailed checking. Upon inspection of their luggage, authorities recovered more than 3 kilograms of gold ornaments along with $11,619 in foreign currency.
The suspects were identified as Amaal and Manal Khan. Customs officials reported that Amaal was carrying 2 kilograms of gold and $6,143, while over 1 kilogram of gold and $5,476 were recovered from Manal. The total value of the seized items exceeds Rs110 million, the spokesperson said. An FIR has been registered under the Customs Act, and both women have been detained for further investigation.
The incident comes days after the Collectorate of Customs (Enforcement) Karachi, in coordination with Sindh Rangers and Sindh Police, thwarted a major smuggling operation involving foreign fabric worth millions. Acting on intelligence, enforcement teams conducted overnight raids on November 9 and 10 in Karachi’s Tariq Road area, targeting warehouses storing illegally imported fabric.
During the operation, a mob of 200 to 300 people attempted to obstruct law enforcement, pelting stones, burning empty trucks and resisting the seizure of goods. Despite the violent resistance, officials successfully confiscated 22 Mazda trucks and a 40-foot container loaded with smuggled fabric. The goods have been transferred to the Anti-Smuggling Organization’s warehouse for legal proceedings under the Customs Act of 1969.
An FIR has also been filed at Ferozabad Police Station against detained individuals and unidentified accomplices under the Anti-Terrorism Act and relevant sections of the Pakistan Penal Code.
