iPhones smuggling bid foiled at Sialkot airport

SIALKOT: Customs officials have foiled a bid to smuggle iPhones at Sialkot airport and recovered 30 smartphones worth nearly Rs100 million from a passenger, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

Customs officials recovered 30 iPhones worth nearly Rs100 million from a passenger namely Adeel who reached Sialkot airport from Sharjah via flight number PK-210. It was learnt that the accused is an employee of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).

The officials told the media that the accused flight steward Adeel used to supply smuggled smartphones to Karachi and Lahore.

AC Haseeb Bajwa said that an accomplice of the accused PIA flight steward namely Ali Ahmed was also involved in the smuggling of the smartphones. He added that both suspects are PIA employees.

READ: Smuggled iPhones, MacBooks worth millions seized at Islamabad airport

In May, Pakistan Customs had foiled an attempt to smuggle mobile phones worth millions at Jinnah International Airport Karachi.

According to Customs spokesperson, officials deployed at the International Departure were busy checking passengers coming from a foreign origin.

During the process, the staff received credible information about a bid to smuggle iPhones. They intensified the screening process, during which they detained passenger who reached Karachi from Dubai.

During the surveillance, the Customs staff scanned the baggage of passenger and recovered more than 35 mobile phones including iPhone-XS, X-max, worth about Rs10 million approximately.

A case was registered against the passenger as he failed to produce tax details to the customs staff.