Rawalpindi: Bid to smuggle antique weapons to Ukraine foiled

RAWALPINDI: The attempt to transport antique weapons to Ukraine was foiled by the officials of the customs, the customs sources said. The weapons including aircraft guns and machine guns with its spare parts were manufactured over 100 years back and were used during the First World War in 1914, the sources quoting Archaeology Department, Islamabad, said. A person involved in the smuggling of the antique weapons, have been arrested after the recovery of the firearms when these were being transported abroad.

The sources said that the officials of the customs were present at international export hall at Benazir Bhutto International Airport when a heavy box was marked as suspicious and the authorities asked to check it. When the box was opened, assembled and unassembled guns were found in it. They said that the box was booked through Ali Associates based in Office No. 7, First Floor, Liberty Centre, Islamabad, by an exporter identified as Feroz Khan Maila belonging to Darra Adam Khail and it was sent to Leonen Anatolievich resident of Street 27, Prirechnaja, Ukraine, KV-283.

The customs staff, detaining suspect Mohammad Amir Khan son of Mohammad Bakhtiar Khan, resident of Malik Sher Bahadar Khan, Sher Geera, Peshawar, sent the antique weapons to the Archaeology Department for substantiation, the sources said adding that Director General, Archeology Department, Dr Fazal Dad Kakarh, in his report confirmed that the guns were antique and were manufactured 100 years back and used in First World War in 1914.

The customs have confiscated 34 weapons including aircraft guns, machine guns and essential parts of weapons and lodged FIR against Mohammad Amir Khan under section 171 of the Customs Act (1969) and started investigation after obtaining 7-day physical remand of the suspect.

The original article can be found at The News.

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