1,287 bottles of foreign liquor seized

Directorate General of Intelligence and Investigation Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) seized 1,287 bottles of foreign origin smuggled liquor during ongoing anti-smuggling operations. Sources said here on Friday that in pursuance of specific information, the staff of Customs Intelligence, Gujranwala intercepted a car bearing registration No LRW-2598 suspected of carrying foreign origin smuggled liquor, at Toll Plaza GT Road, Kamonky, District, Gujranwala.
The driver of the vehicle namely Waheed Akther s/o Abdul Aziz failed to provide any document regarding legal import and lawful possession of the recovered foreign origin liquor. The driver was taken into custody and he along with the car were brought to Customs Intelligence, Range Office, Gujranwala where detailed search of the car led to the recovery of foreign origin 168 bottles of liquor.
During preliminary investigation the driver disclosed that he had loaded the liquor from a secret go down situated in Multan. The staff of I&I, Range Office, Gujranwala immediately proceeded to Multan and reached the indicated premises at about 2400 hrs. While they were deployed around the said premises, a car bearing registration No LEB-07-2858 entered the go down. The staff of Customs Intelligence followed the car and entered in the go down. The search of the car led to the recovery of additional 138 bottles of foreign origin liquor from the boot of the car. The staff then conducted a detailed search of the premises and discovered a secret storage facility in the floor of the godown where 981 bottles of foreign origin liquor were stored.
The recovered liquor totalled 1287 bottles, along with two vehicles valued at Rs 12.00 million (approx), was seized under Section 188 of the Customs Act, 1969 for violation of Section 2(s) & 157 punishable under Section 156(1)89 ibid further read with Section 3(1) & 3(3) of the imports & Exports Control Act, 1950. Four persons namely Waheed Akhter (driver of vehicle No LRW 2598), Muhammad Akthar (driver of vehicle No LEB-07-2858), Iman Bakhash (Chowkidar) and Khudai Dad (present in the godown) were arrested after lodging FIR No 02/2012, dated March 15, 2012. Further investigation is in progress, sources added.