KARACHI: Pakistan Customs officials at Jinnah International Airport (JIAP) successfully foiled a smuggling attempt, recovering 70 tolas of gold and 7,000 US dollars from a passenger bound for Istanbul.
Discovery during Scanning
According to Assistant Collector JIAP, Khizer Faiz, the suspicious items were detected during the routine scanning of the passenger’s luggage. The scan identified seven gold bars, each weighing 10 tolas. Following the discovery, the passenger was intercepted and subjected to a physical search, which led to the recovery of 7,000 US dollars in cash.
Flight Details and Arrest
The passenger was scheduled to depart for Istanbul via Turkish Airlines flight TK-709. Upon failing to justify the possession of the undeclared gold and currency, the individual was taken into custody.
Value of Seized Assets
A spokesperson for Pakistan Customs confirmed that a formal case has been registered. The seized gold, weighing 70 tolas, is estimated to be worth approximately Rs 35 million (3.5 crore) in the current market. Both the gold bars and the foreign currency have been confiscated as part of the ongoing investigation.
