The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) arrested three customs officials in Karachi on Tuesday, charging them with extorting Rs5 million from a local businessman. The operation—conducted by the agency’s Anti-Corruption Circle—marks a move against systemic graft at the city’s major transit hubs.
The arrests follow a formal complaint filed by an importer who alleged the officers refused to clear his consignment unless he paid the sum. Investigators say the suspects held the shipment at the port for weeks, using the delay as leverage to force the payout.
“The officers were caught red-handed accepting the bribe,” an FIA spokesperson said shortly after the raid.
The suspects—identified as inspectors stationed at the Port Muhammad Bin Qasim—are now being interrogated at the FIA’s zonal office. Investigators are currently reviewing internal logs and communication records to determine if the bribery scheme extended to more senior officials.
While the Customs department has yet to issue a formal response, the arrests have triggered an internal audit of recent clearances handled by the accused. Port operations remain unaffected, but the incident has once again put the spotlight on the informal “speed money” culture that importers claim is a prerequisite for doing business.
The suspects are expected to be produced before a special court for remand tomorrow. For now, the FIA is focused on tracing the money trail and identifying any additional accomplices involved in the extortion ring.
