KARACHI, Oct 1: The city government’s price control magistrates on Monday booked 161 profiteers and imposed on them a collective fine of Rs232,500. They paid surprise visits to different stalls in several towns to check profiteering.

The magistrates took action against 27 flour merchants for overcharging and imposed a collective fine of Rs113,200 on them, said a statement.

Over the past nine days, the magistrates booked a total of 308 shopkeepers, vendors and traders for overcharging wheat flour and imposed fines amounting to Rs1,273,200. Twenty-two offenders have so far been sent to jail.

The surprise visits were paid in Clifton, Saddar, Jamshed, Korangi, Gulshan, Keamari, Orangi, Site, North Nazimabad, New Karachi, Malir and Landhi towns.

According to a summary, 71 traders have been sent to jail by the price control magistrates since the launching of the drive on Aug 24, 2007.—APP