Smuggling bid of Iranian rial worth Rs1.7 billion foiled by Railways Police
Railways police foil massive Iranian currency smuggling attempt via Jaffar Express. File photo
Railways police foil massive Iranian currency smuggling attempt via Jaffar Express. File photo
(Web Desk): A major Iranian currency smuggling attempt via train was stopped by Railways Police as Rials worth Rs1.7 billion was hidden inside luggage.

Railways Police recovered Iranian currency worth Rs1.7 billion from a train passenger in Lahore. The recovery shocked officials due to the massive scale of the smuggling attempt.

According to details, the accused had carefully hidden the Iranian currency inside boxes of dates. The disguise was used to avoid detection during travel.

The suspect was trying to transport the currency from Quetta to Lahore through Jaffar Express. The plan was exposed during routine checking at Quetta railway station.

SHO Muhammad Shahbaz arrested the suspect red-handed during the inspection process. The accused was immediately taken into custody for further investigation.

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Authorities believe the smuggling network may involve wider cross-border financial channels. Investigations are underway to trace other links connected to the case.

In Pakistan’s exchange markets, particularly in Karachi and border regions, the Iranian Rial has seen a sharp surge—reports indicate it has gained nearly fourfold in value recently. For instance, 10 million Iranian Rials, which once traded around PKR 2,500, are now fetching up to PKR 10,000 according to exchange companies.

The operation shows increased vigilance by railway security teams during passenger checks. It also highlights how smugglers use unusual hiding methods like food packaging. Authorities are now focusing on breaking the wider network behind such illegal activities.