Tue, 21-Oct-2025

Guilty Pleas in Endangered Sea Cucumber Smuggling

Sea Cucumber

Two wildlife traffickers have pleaded guilty in a federal court in California for illegally smuggling endangered sea cucumbers, highly valued in China for their culinary and medicinal uses, including their reputation as an aphrodisiac. Zunyu Zhao and Xionwei Xiao were charged with conspiring to import brown sea cucumbers, worth over $10,000, from Mexico between 2017 … Read more

PM Kakar directs to curb smuggling of sugar, petrol

smuggling

ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has strictly instructed Customs and law enforcement agencies to curb the smuggling of sugar, petroleum products, urea, agri produce, and other goods from the country. Chairing a high-level meeting regarding smuggling control, the prime minister was briefed about measures taken to control the smuggling of various goods in the … Read more

Tyre industry lauds Customs for acting against smuggling

Tyre industry lauds Customs for acting against smuggling

KARACHI: The local tyre industry has lauded the efforts of Pakistan Customs for starting a campaign against smuggled trees and seizing of smuggled tyres worth over Rs541 million in Karachi.

Recently, Pakistan Customs’ Enforcement section seized a huge quantity of smuggled tyres in Karachi on the directives of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) chairman and member customs operations.

GTR Tyre Chief Executive Officer Hussain Kuli Khan said this one seizure of smuggled tyres worth millions of rupees clearly shows how the menace of smuggling is damaging the national economy and local industry.

He added that 60 per cent of tyres with a total value of Rs300 billion, are being smuggled into Pakistan which is inflicting the loss of more than Rs50 billion to the national exchequer.

“The government should protect the local industry and national treasury from the damage caused by smuggling en-route mainly from Torkham and Chaman borders,” Khan said.

“Though the FBR has improved enforcement by taking strict measures at the customs level, still a lot more effort is required. Also, it is necessary to check the stock in the markets and take action against the sellers by confiscating the illegally imported tyres,” he added.

The GTR Tyre chef executive said that these concrete and positive steps will help in attracting new entrants to invest in the market and provide employment.

It has been reported that the smuggled tyres are supplied in the local markets after changing their specifications, serial numbers, sizes, and manufacturing dates through different embossing and alteration instruments.

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IFS officer’s witty comment on timber smuggling goes viral online

smuggling

One of the most popular movies in recent memory, Pushpa: The Rise, created a lasting impression on the audience with its unforgettable language. Pushpa, the main character, overcomes a difficult upbringing to earn money by smuggling wood. In the movie, he guides others while simultaneously outwitting the cops. One of the most popular movies in … Read more

A plot to smuggle 39 tons of urea to Afghanistan is foiled by customs

urea

A huge operation by customs officers at the Torkham border crossing prevented the smuggling of 39 tons of urea into Afghanistan. According to officials, the container and an accused person were taken into custody. the investigation was started. On Tuesday, a huge operation by customs officers at the Torkham border crossing prevented the smuggling of … Read more

Bangkok airport: 109 wild animals were found and 2 Indian women were arrested

indian

109 exotic animals were discovered in two Indian women’s baggage at the Bangkok airport on Monday. They were arrested afterwards. The two intended to smuggle the creatures, which included white porcupines, turtles, lizards, and snakes. 109 exotic animals were discovered in two Indian women’s baggage at the Bangkok airport on Monday, leading to their arrests. … Read more

Thai airport X-ray finds 109 live animals in women’s luggage.

109 live animals were found in two suitcases at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport. The luggage belonged to two Indian ladies who were travelling to Chennai. Nithya Raja, 38, and Zakia Sulthana Ebrahim, 24, were arrested and charged with smuggling. Following the discovery of 109 live animals in their luggage at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, two women were … Read more

Jordan army thwarts drug smuggling attempt from Syria, killing four people

Syria

Jordan’s army said it killed four persons who were attempting to bring “huge volumes” of drugs into the nation from Syria. According to a Jordanian Armed Forces source, forces on Jordan’s eastern border with Syria opened fire on persons attempting to enter the country, killing four and wounding another. According to the source, the infiltrators … Read more

Iraq trial of Briton and German for antiquity theft adjourned

trial

After a defence counsel requested more research, an Iraqi judge deferred the trial of a British man and a German man accused of attempting to smuggle artefacts for two weeks. James Fitton, 66, a retired British geologist, and Volker Waldmann, 60, a Berlin psychologist, have been in custody since they were arrested on March 20 … Read more

Iran seizes a foreign ship carrying smuggled petroleum

petroleum

Iranian police captured a foreign ship attempting to smuggle petroleum out of the country on Wednesday, according to the state news agency IRNA. Iran, which has some of the world’s lowest fuel costs due to substantial subsidies and the depreciation of its national currency, has been combatting extensive petroleum smuggling by land and sea to … Read more

Iran Guards seize ship smuggling fuel in Gulf: state media

Iran

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards seized a foreign vessel smuggling gas inside the Gulf and arrested its team participants, nation media said Sunday, inside the third such incident pronounced this month. The Guards “seized an overseas vessel sporting 2 00,000 liters (around 53,000 gallons) of smuggled gasoline in the north of the Persian Gulf and directed it … Read more

Mexico says it axed US-trained unit fighting drug cartels

Mexico

Mexico has dissolved a special unit educated by US authorities to combat drug cartels as it become infiltrated by way of criminals, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Thursday. Some members of the institution had been detained over the allegations, Lopez Obrador instructed newshounds. The police unit, which obtained schooling from the US Drug Enforcement … Read more

Iran Guards claim 7 arrested after fuel smuggling ship in Gulf

iran

The Iranian Revolutionary Guards announced on Friday that they had arrested seven crew members after seizing a second gasoline smuggling vessel in the Gulf in as many weeks. Guards publicist Gholamhossein Hosseini was reported by state news agency IRNA as saying, “Naval forces have seized a vessel carrying smuggled fuel in the Persian Gulf. “During … Read more

FIA, ASF held four including a woman for hawala hundi, money laundering

AUD TO PKR

Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Peshawar on Saturday arrested two suspects for their alleged involvement in hawala hundi while Airport Security Force (ASF) also booked two suspects, including a woman, at Karachi airport for an alleged money-laundering attempt. According to FIA Deputy Director Khawaja Hammad, a team apprehended a suspect involved in illegal currency exchange at … Read more

Shehbaz Sharif blames govt for fertiliser shortage

Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) President and Opposition Leader in the National Assembly (NA), Shehbaz Sharif, has expressed grave concern over the shortage of urea in the country and ensuing situation farmers are facing. In a statement issued on Sunday, the opposition leader claimed the fertiliser is being smuggled and sold in black. However, … Read more

Higher cost jacks up tyre prices by 30%

tyre prices

There has been a significant increase in the tyre prices due to higher cost of production/import emanating from depreciating rupee, increase in regulatory duty by 10 per cent to 25 per cent and an increase in the Customs valuation, the predetermined value on which the taxes are imposed. Moreover, lesser inflows of smuggled goods also … Read more

Availability of fertilisers ordered

fertilisers

LAHORE: Punjab chief secretary Kamran Ali Afzal has directed all the deputy commissioners to continue monitoring the prices and availability of fertilisers in their respective districts. Chairing a video-link meeting of all deputy commissioners at the Civil Secretariat, he expressed satisfaction over the measures that helped decrease the fertiliser price. The chief secretary said no … Read more

Turkey detains 76 suspects, seizes 4,122 historical artifacts in large-scale operations

Arrested

ISTANBUL: Turkish authorities detained 76 suspects and seized 4,122 historical artifacts in large-scale anti-smuggling operations conducted in Turkey and abroad, local media reported on Tuesday. According to the state-run TRT broadcaster, simultaneous operations have been carried out at 108 addresses in 30 provinces across Turkey to capture 92 suspected smugglers, including collectors. It said so … Read more

Pakistan Navy Seizes 700 Kg Narcotics In Joint Operation With ANF

Pakistan Navy

Pakistan Navy in an intelligence-based joint operation with Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) seized 700 Kg Narcotics near Pishukan coast, Balochistan. According to the Spokesperson of Pakistan Navy, the drugs valued at approximately Rs. 2.2 Billion was handed over to Anti-Narcotics Force for further legal formalities. #PakNavy & Anti Narcotics Force (ANF) in joint ops seized 700 … Read more

Police foils smuggling of 1.7 mn captagon pills

captagon smuggling

Customs officials in Saudi Arabia have foiled an attempt to smuggle large quantities of captagon pills. According to the Arab News Agency, customs officials say they have stopped the smuggling of more than 1.7 million narcotic Captagon pills. Five people involved in the incident have also been arrested. The report of the news agency said, … Read more

PM directs to submit report about actions against smuggling

PM

Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan has said no compromise will be made in action against smuggling. Media reports said that Prime Minister Imran Khan chaired a meeting on checking smuggling and about prices of essential commodities in Islamabad today. While chairing the meeting, Prime Minister Imran Khan directed all the departments concerned to submit … Read more

Massive crackdown against smuggling to begin in the country

Massive crackdown against smuggling to begin in the country

Prime Minister Imran Khan chaired a high-level meeting in Islamabad on Tuesday. During the meeting the Prime Minister summoned  a report containing details of anti-smuggling measures within 48 hours. The Premier said the government has decided to hold massive crackdown against smuggling in the country. Prime Minister commits to tackle profiteers, hoarders with iron hands … Read more

Chairman FBR issued notification to prevent smuggling

FBR

Chairman Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Shabbar Zaidi issued the instructions to all field offices. The notification instructed to send seized vehicles to forensic science laboratory. Observe excise taxation registration data and customs clearance documents to identify smuggled items, notification also instructed. According to details, it is also instructed to field offices to identify cars … Read more

Smuggling is lethal poison for the country’s economy: PM

Smuggling is a plague for the country's economy: PM

Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that the plague of  smuggling is a lethal poison for the country’s economy. Prime Minister Imran Khan chaired a meeting regarding the establishment of trade markets in the border areas, in which advisor of trade Abdul Razzaq Dawood, Assistant Special Information Minister Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, Assistant Special Yousuf … Read more

Karachi: Smartphones, laptops worth Rs8.4 million seized

Smartphones, laptops worth Rs8.4 million seized at Karachi airport

Customs authorities on Friday thwarted a bid to smuggle electronic gadgets worth Rs8.4 million into the country. Acting on a tip-off, Deputy Collector Customs Touseef Gorchani intercepted three fliers who arrived at the Jinnah International Airport, Karachi from Dubai on-board a private airlines flight. During a search of their luggage, 57 smartphones, including 46 iPhones, … Read more

Iran seizes another oil tanker, third as feud with US continues

Iran seized another oil tanker which carried fuel

Iran has seized a foreign tanker suspected of carrying smuggled fuel in the Gulf, according to state media, marking the third such seizure in a month amid a spike in regional tensions. The vessel was intercepted near Iran’s Farsi Island in the Gulf. The elite Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has a navy base on Farsi … Read more