Customs authorities at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport detained a passenger on Thursday after recovering 70 tolas of gold and USD 14,000 from his luggage and person. Officials said the action was part of an ongoing crackdown against gold and foreign currency smuggling.
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According to initial reports, the passenger was scheduled to fly to Istanbul when security personnel flagged him for checking. A baggage scan indicated the presence of precious metal, prompting customs to conduct a detailed inspection.
At the Joint Examination Counter, officials recovered 10 tolas of gold and USD 7,000. Assistant Collector Customs Khizar Faiz said a further search of the passenger resulted in the seizure of an additional USD 7,000. In total, authorities confiscated 70 tolas of gold and USD 14,000 in foreign currency.
The estimated value of the seized items is roughly Rs35 million. Customs confirmed that a case has been registered against the suspect under the Customs Act, and an investigation is underway to determine whether the passenger was linked to a wider smuggling network.
The development comes amid a broader enforcement push at airports to curb illicit movement of gold, currency and narcotics. Airport Security Force and customs officials have made multiple seizures in recent weeks.
Earlier, an outbound passenger attempting to smuggle narcotics was detained at Karachi airport. The man, identified as Rehmatullah, was allegedly attempting to carry 1.264 kilograms of crystal meth — commonly known as “ice” — to Jeddah.
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ASF officials said the drugs were concealed in the traveler’s luggage. Following initial interrogation, the suspect was handed over to the Anti-Narcotics Force for further legal action.