PIA Employee Arrested for Smuggling Cellphones Worth Millions

ISLAMABAD: Faisal Majeed, an employee of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), was arrested at Islamabad airport upon arrival on aircraft PK-782 for smuggling sixteen costly cell phones from Canada.

Customs agents discovered the phones wrapped around his body during a regular inspection. Because of this, Majeed was served with a show-cause notice, which gave him three days to reply.

His actions had a negative impact on PIA’s reputation, and the notice made it clear that he would be fired if he did not respond properly.

There have been similar incidents in the past. A similar effort to smuggle iPhones worth millions was intercepted at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi in May 2023 by Pakistan Customs.

PIA Staffer linked to smuggling of 35 seized iPhones

Authorities got a tip regarding a passenger coming from Dubai and found 35 iPhones, including XS and X-max models, with a combined value of nearly Rs10 million. A registered complaint was filed against the traveler since they were unable to give tax details.

The PIA employee’s behavior has prompted questions regarding the airline’s credibility and the possibility of smuggling. To highlight how serious the matter is, the show-cause notice acts as a severe warning.

To avoid similar instances in the future, this particular incident emphasizes the need to be more vigilant and implement stronger security measures.