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       RAWALPINDI: A passenger, a constable of Special Protection Unit (SPU) and a flight steward of Pakistan International Airlines detained by the customs authorities at Islamabad International Airport (IIA) on Friday were remanded for two days.

       A senior customs official told Dawn that the three suspects were detained in two separate cases after recovery of over 50 iPhones from them. They will be produced in the special court (customs, taxation and anti-smuggling) on Tuesday after completion of their two-day remand.

       The customs authorities at the airport foiled two attempts to smuggle over 50 iPhones and detained the three persons, including the constable of SPU, a unit of the Punjab police.

       Separate cases were registered against them by the customs authorities under the relevant sections of the customs act and investigations launched.

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       Adnan Waleed, inspector customs collectorate Islamabad, lodged an FIR stating that Collector Customs Zaib Gul Shabbir received information that an attempt to smuggle a large quantity of iPhones will be made on a flight from Sharjah to Islamabad on Thursday.

       He said a team led by Deputy Collector Customs at the IIA Wardah Hajra was formed to keep vigilance on passengers. As the customs clearance of the passengers started, a man in police uniform carrying a handbag attempted to sneak away from the international arrival hall.

       On suspicion, the man was stopped by the customs staff. Images of cellphones were spotted when his handbag was scanned, the authorities said.

       As he was asked about the ownership of the baggage, he stated the name of a passenger, a resident of Peshawar, who was present near the baggage belt at that time. The passenger was carrying a carton which was searched by the customs staff along with a grey handbag.

       During the search, the customs staff recovered 41 mobile phones, including 36 iPhones Pro Max while 33 boxes of mobile phones were recovered from the carton. Both the passengers could not prove the proper import and legal ownership of the goods.

       The authorities said the involvement of other accomplices of the suspects would be determined during the investigation. The value of the seized goods was estimated at Rs18 million.

       In another seizure, the customs authorities at the IIA recovered 15 iPhones from a passenger who turned out to be a flight steward of PIA.

       A senior official of the customs said the seizure was made during the scanning of baggage of passengers arriving from Toronto (Canada) by a PIA flight.

       According to customs officials, the suspect was not on duty and was traveling as an ordinary passenger on a tourist visa. The value of the seizure was estimated at Rs5.1 million.

       When a PIA spokesman was contacted for his comments on the detention of the employee, he said the person was traveling on a visit visa from Canada to Islamabad.

       He said during checking latest cellphones were recovered from his possession which led to his detention by the customs authorities.

       Despite him traveling privately, the PIA management has served a show-cause notice on him, as the management has no sympathy with any employee involved in any illegal activity, said the spokesman.

       Published in Dawn, October 28th, 2024