According to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), the scam was run by employees of a foreign-based ground-handling company in collusion with importers. Fake and forged documents were used to sneak out electronic goods worth hundreds of millions from the airport.
The fraud was exposed after credible intelligence was received. Swift action by customs officials led to the seizure of a consignment valued at Rs103,000,000. The consignment included laptops, iPads, iPhones, MacBooks, PlayStations, and memory cards.
The FBR confirmed that two consignments were fraudulently cleared using fake gate passes. Two FIRs were lodged immediately, and several employees of the handling company were arrested.
Investigations later revealed that five consignments in total were illegally removed. All shipments originated from the UAE through M/s Pir Jillani General Trading LLC, Dubai. Each consignment weighed nearly 900–1000 kg and was hidden from the Customs WeBOC system to avoid Goods Declaration filings.
The total estimated value of the evaded duties and taxes stands at Rs384,000,000. The fraud was enabled by manipulating the computerized iCargo system to conceal airway bills and issue fake gate passes.
FBR investigators said the foreign-based company also refused to share CCTV footage and critical records, raising suspicions of involvement by senior management.
Read more: Big crackdown on tax evaders: Know who are on FBR’s defaulters’ list
FIRs have already been registered, and arrests made, with more action expected soon. The FBR leadership has vowed strict accountability and declared that no leniency will be shown to custodians or officials who failed to perform their duties.
This fraud highlights a major loophole in customs handling at Pakistan’s largest airport. The scale of the scam, worth Rs384,000,000, shows how deep the collusion between handlers and importers went. While arrests have been made, refusal to provide CCTV footage points to higher-level involvement. The case may uncover more hidden layers of corruption in Pakistan’s trade system.
