FIA letter seeks details from Anti-Money Laundering Circle about customs officials

Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Additional Director Javed Ahmed Baluch has referred a letter to the Anti-Money Laundering Circle (AML) against custom officials who were alleged earlier this year to be in possession of and involved in the accumulation of huge assets and living beyond means.

Officials said on Saturday that Baluch is conducting an inquiry against customs officials and has requested the Anti-Money Laundering Circle for further details about the officials.

The letter reads, “Enquiry No.49/2023 dated July-13, 2023 registered on the allegation that Customs Officers are involved in abusing official position and providing facility to smugglers who are involved in the smuggling of contraband items from Balochistan to Karachi.”

During the course of the inquiry, sources disclosed that two officers who were involved in and connected with the racket and smugglers were proceeding to Islamabad.

Hence, an FIA team was constituted and it conducted a raid at the Domestic Lounge of Jinnah International Airport near where both the customs officers were found. One of the customs officials introduced himself and said he as presently posted at the Anti-Smuggling, NMB-Wharf, Ghas Bandar, Keamari, and the other said he was superintendent operation, Anti-Smuggling Directorate, Intelligence and Investigation, Customs, Karachi. A search was conducted which resulted in the recovery of the official ID cards of the two.

The customs officers said they arrived in an official vehicle, which was in the parking zone outside; hence, a search of the vehicle was also conducted, which resulted in the recovery of currencies worth Rs5437,200, $2,406, 6,100 UAE Dirhams. The currencies were seized accordingly, and both the customs officials and incriminating material were brought to the ACC Karachi.

During the preliminary interrogation, they disclosed that the recovered money is the speed money which was received from different customs check posts, including Mochko, District Keamari, for distribution among various customs officers. There was a monthly collection from all customs check posts, i.e. Mochko, Mach Goth, Sohrab Goth and Ghaggar Phatak, and totalled Rs40 to Rs50 million. Both the customs officials admitted to facilitating smugglers in transporting smuggled goods from border areas of Balochistan to Karachi via land routes in an organised manner.

They further disclosed the names of other officers of customs who are beneficiaries of bribes and speed money amounts received from smugglers for facilitating the transportation of smuggled goods. Furthermore, the accused persons admitted that other customs officers are also involved in the collection of huge money from various smugglers, including Imran Noorani, smuggler of betel nut. Hence, the instant case was registered.

Officials said that reportedly the above-named customs officer as well as private persons had accumulated huge moveable and immoveable properties in their names and in the names of their family members as well as servants by way of corrupt practices and were living beyond means by affording huge expenditures on account of utility bills as well as the education of their children and frequent travelling abroad. They accused were also routing huge amounts in bank accounts maintained in their names, in the names of their family members and servants and naami and benami companies.

Since, the letter says, the section of laws applied in the above noted case are the predicate offences of Section ¾ of the Anti- money Laundering Act 2010 (Amended in 2020); therefore, it is suggested that the matter along with the above mentioned documents be referred to the deputy director of the FIA AML/CFT Circle Karachi for conducting meaningful inquiries and taking cognizance of accused persons from the Anti-Money Laundering/CFT’s point of view from all corners and aspects, including aforesaid vital points.