Sindh Rangers have arrested four alleged smugglers and seized a large consignment of non-custom-paid cigarettes during a snap-checking operation on Hub River Road near Mauripur.
According to a statement issued by the Sindh Rangers spokesperson, the suspects were traveling in a passenger bus where specially built hidden compartments were used to transport smuggled goods.
The arrested individuals were identified as Syed Habibullah son of Taj Maluk, Syed Naveed Ahmed son of Syed Jameel Ahmed, Sanaullah son of Abdul Shakoor, and Wali Jan son of Abdullah.
During the search, the Rangers recovered 47,680 packets of smuggled cigarettes, four mobile phones, and cash. The suspects reportedly transported the non-custom-paid items from Balochistan’s Hazarganji bus stand to Karachi’s Yousuf Goth terminal using the bus’s concealed cavities.
During interrogation, the suspects revealed that bus owners had installed hidden compartments specifically to smuggle non-custom-paid items. Officials added that Wali Jan worked as a munshi at Yousuf Goth bus terminal and supervised the construction of these compartments, whereas Sanaullah was responsible for clearing and storing smuggled goods at a warehouse in Hub city.
Sindh Rangers said efforts are underway to trace and arrest the bus owners and their accomplices. The detained suspects, along with the seized goods, have been handed over to Customs for further legal proceedings.
