On Friday, customs officials at Lahore Airport carried out two significant operations, confiscating mobile phones worth millions of rupees from a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) air hostess and two passengers.
Air hostess Nadia Batool was found with 30 iPhones, valued at over Rs 11.2 million, hidden on her person and among her belongings. Additionally, passengers Muhammad Arshad and Fariha Amin had mobile phones worth Rs 5.5 million in their luggage. All three individuals were arrested, and a case has been registered against them.
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In response to the incident, PIA has suspended the crew members of flight PK-204 from Dubai to Lahore, emphasizing its strict policy against employee misconduct. A spokesperson for PIA stated that any employee involved in illegal activities would face serious consequences, reaffirming the airline’s zero-tolerance approach to such actions.
Last month, customs authorities at Islamabad Airport seized over two dozen iPhones from a passenger, including the newly launched iPhone 16 Pro Max, which is valued at over Rs. 500,000 in Pakistan. Customs officials intercepted these devices from passengers arriving from the United Arab Emirates. Sources indicated that a passenger from Quetta was allegedly attempting to smuggle the phones with the assistance of customs staff, but the operation was thwarted by other officials.
