Pakistan Customs on Tuesday introduced latest Container Scanning Facility (Eagle Gantry) at Karachi Port to detect narcotics and other illegal goods. This new scanner is capable of detecting narcotics and other contraband goods easily and rapidly. Model Customs Collectorate (Preventive), Custom House has formally inaugurated the facility.
The chief guest was Munir Qureshi, Member (Customs), who inaugurated three different projects including Port Control Unit, Cannine Unit & Eagle Gantry, which were built in association with the World Customs Organisation, United Nations Office on Drugs Control and other members of the WCO. The second project was Port Control Unit, set up to monitor the consignments/cargo imported/exported in Pakistan.
The unit is working efficiently and had detected very important cases in past ie 144 kgs heroin from China in a consignment of textile yarn, 2.7 kgs of heroin recovered in Sri Lanka from a consignment of artificial potatoes and 1.5 tons hashish at the Port of Antwerp, Belgium and many other significant cases through the information from Port Control Unit, Karachi as well as Port Qasim.
A Canine Unit has also been set up at Karachi Port. Previously dogs were called out from Karachi Airport Canine Unit for inspection/sniffing of the consignments. Due to the transportation the sense of sniffing were effecting badly, therefore, a complete Canine Unit along with air-conditioned rooms, vets clinic etc were established at Karachi Port for the best performance of dogs.
Collector Preventive Fateh Muhammad Shaikh, Chief Collector Customs South Sheer Nawaz, chief spokesman Qamar Thalo and a large number of senior officers of different agencies ie Pakistan Coast Guard, Anti Narcotics Force, Airport Security Force, Consulate General, France, Drug Liaison Officers of different countries and other senior Customs officers were present in the ceremony. -PR