Pak unearths smuggling racket exploiting the NATO supply route

May 2, 2010

KARACHI: Authorities here have unearthed a major smuggling racket involving transportation of contraband goods into Pakistan in containers used by NATO troops in Afghanistan.

A senior official of the Customs Intelligence Directorate did not rule out the involvement of customs officials in the smuggling racket.

"We have impounded around 30 containers registered in the name of NATO which contained alcohol, expensive spices and other contraband items," the official said.

The contraband items were being smuggled into Pakistan in containers shown to be registered for the use of NATO troops in Afghanistan, he said.

The NATO troops deployed in Afghanistan get their supplies via Pakistan with large container trucks starting from Karachi and passing through the Pakistan and Afghanistan border into Kabul and other cities.

The intelligence official said initial FIR registered and investigations had shown that the people involved in the smuggling racket had been using NATO containers for their racket for last few months.

"The information we have is that before this consignment they have already cleared around 45 containers meant for NATO troops," he said.

The official confirmed that NATO containers were not subject to the same stringent checks by customs.

Sources said a shipping agent acted as the front for the import of the NATO containers meant for the troops in Afghanistan.

Source: Times of India.
Link: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/5882984.cms.