Customs Seizes Smuggled Foreign Fabric Worth Millions in Karachi

Pakistan Customs, with support from Sindh Rangers and Police, has foiled a major smuggling attempt in Karachi, seizing foreign-origin fabric worth millions of rupees from multiple warehouses on Tariq Road. The operation is part of the government’s broader crackdown on smuggling and undocumented trade, which has been affecting local manufacturing and tax revenue. According to officials, the enforcement teams faced violent resistance from a crowd of nearly 200–300 people, who resorted to stone-pelting and attempts at arson during the raid. Despite the confrontation, the joint teams successfully secured the area and completed the seizure. A total of 22 trucks and one 40-foot container loaded with smuggled fabric were taken into custody. An FIR has been registered under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) and relevant sections of the Pakistan Penal Code at Ferozabad Police Station. The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has commended the Karachi Enforcement Collectorate, Rangers, and Police, noting that the recovery reflects the government’s strengthened efforts to curb smuggling networks that feed the informal economy. Officials have repeatedly stated that such illegal imports undermine textile mills, reduce industrial capacity utilization, and deprive the exchequer of billions in duties and taxes.