According to a federal government assessment, the Dubai-Pakistan Air Route Hotspot for Mobile Smuggling.
According to sources, the most popular air route for smuggling mobile phones into Pakistan via different airports, particularly Peshawar, Sialkot, Faisalabad, and Karachi, is Dubai. Moreover, mobile phones are smuggled through the border crossings at Angoor Adda and Chaman by porters, children, and Laghris, or small-time smugglers.
Every day, about 1,500 Laghris pass the Friendship Gate border in Chaman, and each one of them enters Pakistan with one or two cell phones in tow, according to further sources.
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According to sources, the PM Secretariat has also given FBR and other departments instructions to interview over 80 people for fact-finding investigations and shared the final report, which includes clear recommendations.
According to sources, these officials are accused of conspiring with 92 dealers and 46 smugglers to patch the mobile phone.
Untrustworthy individuals engage in organized mobile smuggling with the cooperation and active support of many law enforcement authorities.
The Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI) reports that in FY 2021–2022, the national exchequer lost $1.1 billion as a result of cell phone smuggling.
According to sources, Pakistan’s teledensity increased dramatically within a brief period (from 2.5 percent in 2002 to 80 percent in 2023), mostly as a result of increased connection brought about by significant foreign direct investment in the telecom industry.
As a result, there is now a 36 million demand for cell phones, which is satisfied by a variety of methods, including 21.94 million local production, 1.53 million imports, and 12.53 million through smuggling.
Expensive phones are being smuggled in due to several factors, such as rising import duties and price increases brought on by the exceptional appreciation of the US dollar.
Smugglers were able to make smart gadgets available in local marketplaces at significantly lower prices due to the price difference between legitimately imported and smuggled cell phones. This resulted in massive losses to the national exchequer up to billions of rupees.
Routes and Methods of Operation for Smuggling Cell Phones
As to the PM secretary’s investigation, the most popular air route for smuggling mobile phones into Pakistan via different airports, particularly Peshawar, Sialkot, Faisalabad, and Karachi, is Dubai. In addition to porters, children and small-time smugglers known as Laghris sneak cell phones via the border crossings at Angoor Adda and Chaman.
Every day, approximately 1500 Laghris are said to cross the Chaman border through Friendship Gate, carrying one or two cell phones with them as they enter Pakistan.
Techniques Used to Address Compatibility Issues
Mobile dealers and store owners in Pakistan utilize various techniques to make illegal phones functional, such as swapping out expensive, new IMels for older, less expensive ones.
Many Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, and OnePlus phone models are being patched to make illegally imported, non-PTA-certified pricey mobile phones more affordable than those that are approved.
Another tactic used by the merchants is to use the CPID paid software, which is readily accessible at www.cpidserver.com, to alter the IMEI number of cell phones that have been smuggled. Additionally, 92 such dealers who patch mobile phones are included.
According to sources, the PM Secretariat has instructed departments to put in place a rotational policy for LEA officers stationed at seaports, land border crossings, and airport entry and exit points to prevent them from becoming close friends with roving smugglers.
Additionally, as www.cpidserver.com offers its services globally, PTA may take legal action against it in the relevant forums.
