KARACHI, April 13, 2026 – Pakistan Customs has arrested two of its preventive officers over alleged involvement in a major silver bullion scam, officials said on Monday, after a consignment transported for official deposit was found to contain fake material.
According to a statement, the arrested officers—Arif Ali Jumani and Samiullah Achakzai—have been charged with collusion and suspected swapping of seized silver bullion with lead during transit.
The case relates to a consignment of 688 kilograms of silver that was to be deposited at the Pakistan Mint in Lahore on April 5. The bullion, packed in 36 sealed boxes, was handed over to the two officers at a state warehouse in Quetta for secure transportation.
Officials said the consignment was moved to Quetta International Airport and flown via a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight to Lahore, before being delivered to the mint. However, upon opening the sealed boxes in the presence of customs and mint staff, authorities discovered that around 400 kilograms of the material was allegedly fake and consisted of lead instead of silver.
Following the discovery, the Collectorate of Customs Enforcement, Quetta, launched a fact-finding inquiry. Investigators reviewed CCTV footage from Safe City Quetta, which reportedly showed the two officers switching the original vehicle carrying the bullion with another vehicle transporting counterfeit material of similar packaging.
Authorities said a formal case has been registered and both officers have been taken into custody. Further investigations are underway to determine whether additional individuals or officials were involved in the alleged scheme.
Customs officials said the incident has raised serious concerns over internal controls and handling of seized valuables, with steps expected to tighten oversight and prevent similar occurrences in the future.