ASF announces foiling bids to smuggle cigarettes from Islamabad airport

ISLAMABAD: Airport Security Force (ASF) on Thursday announced to foil bids to smuggle cigarettes from Islamabad International Airport as it recovered 41 cartons of cigarettes from three passengers, ARY NEWS reported.

According to the ASF, 23 cartons of cigarettes were recovered from two passengers travelling in a United Kingdom (UK)-bound flights.

A female passenger was intercepted at the airport and during checking, the authorities recovered 11 packets of the item from her.

The authorities also recovered 12 cartons of cigarettes from another passenger identified as Muhammad Hassan.

Another passenger travelling via a Jeddah-bound flight was stopped from travelling after authorities recovered 18 packets of cigarettes from his luggage.

All three of the passengers were later allowed to travel after the Customs authorities seized the extra packages carried by the passengers.

In March 2019, the then Finance Minister Asad Umar told the Senate Session that Pakistan Customs had earned Rs16,124 million by auctioning confiscated goods in last five years.

Read More: FBR curb on counterfeit cigarettes, sellers’ continues 

Responding to a question, he said that a variety of smuggled goods including tea, auto parts, cigarettes,  antiques, crockery, vehicles, electronic goods and narcotics had been confiscated by the Customs officials.

In his written reply, the minister said that according to the rules certain items including arms and ammunition, narcotics could be auctioned.

He said that arms and ammunition of prohibited and no prohibited bores were disposed of.