Customs body seizes Rs110m in jewellery, foreign currency from alleged smugglers at Karachi airport

Published November 20, 2025
This picture taken on August 11, 2021 shows a customer handling gold bracelets. — AFP/ File
This picture taken on August 11, 2021 shows a customer handling gold bracelets. — AFP/ File

Customs staff on Thursday seized around Rs110 million in gold jewellery and foreign currency from a pair of alleged smugglers at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport, a statement from the Collectorate of Customs read.

According to the statement, two female passengers were stopped for inspection at the international departure hall, where customs staff unearthed $6,143 and two kilogrammes of gold from one passenger and $5,746 and 1.05kg of gold from the other.

“The total recovered gold jewellery and foreign currency is valued at approximately Rs110 million,” the statement read.

“The recovered items were taken into custody by Customs preventive staff [and] formal detention receipts were issued, and after completing initial legal proceedings, an FIR (first information report) has been lodged against the accused passengers for attempting to smuggle gold and foreign currency in violation of customs laws.”

Earlier this week, a man was stopped at Sialkot International Airport after he arrived from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for allegedly trying to smuggle mobile phones and foreign currency.

The suspect said he purchased mobile phones from the UAE and smuggled them to Pakistan. He travelled at least 19 times to the UAE from different airports in Pakistan this year.

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