Karachi, January 24, 2024 – Pakistan Customs has been granted extensive powers to screen the bodies of suspected individuals for the detection of concealed goods, as outlined in Section 160 of the updated Customs Act, 1969, for the tax year 2024.
This move aims to strengthen the customs officials’ capabilities in combating illicit activities and ensuring the integrity of the country’s borders.
The authority vested in Pakistan Customs officials under Section 160 is articulated in the procedure for screening or X-raying bodies of suspected persons to uncover hidden goods. The process, laid out in the Customs Act, is designed to be carried out with diligence and adherence to ethical and legal standards.
According to Section 160, when an appropriate customs officer has a reasonable belief that an individual, liable to search under section 158, is carrying goods liable for confiscation secreted inside their body, the officer has the power to detain that person. The detained person is then promptly produced before a customs officer of at least the rank of an Assistant Collector of Customs.
Subsequently, if the officer has reasonable grounds to believe that the person may be concealing goods within their body and that it is necessary to screen or X-ray the body, an order to that effect may be issued. However, the person can be discharged if held on different grounds.
In the case where screening or X-raying is deemed necessary, the detained person is taken to a qualified radiologist recognized by the Federal Government. The radiologist is then authorized to screen or X-ray the individual’s body and provide a report, along with any X-ray images, to the customs officer without unnecessary delay.
If, based on the radiologist’s report or other evidence, the customs officer is satisfied that the person has concealed goods liable for confiscation within their body, suitable action may be directed to bring the goods out of the body. This action must be taken on the advice and under the supervision of a registered medical practitioner. Notably, in the case of a female, the action is allowed only under the advice and supervision of a female registered medical practitioner.
Additionally, the detained person may be held pending the completion of all actions under this section, as directed by an officer of customs not below the rank of an Assistant Collector of Customs.
It’s important to note that no person shall be subjected to screening or X-ray if they confess that goods liable for confiscation are concealed inside their body and they voluntarily agree to suitable steps being taken to recover such goods.
This newly clarified and empowered provision is expected to bolster the efforts of Pakistan Customs in curbing illicit activities and securing the nation’s borders by effectively detecting and addressing attempts to smuggle prohibited goods.
