A female flight attendant of Pakistan International Airlines, who was caught smuggling foreign currency at the international airport in Punjab province, has been sent on judicial remand.
Customs officials produced the suspect before a magistrate on Saturday and sought his custody, Dawn News reported on Monday. He was detained on Friday after a large sum of Saudi riyals was recovered from his socks during a search.
A video of the cabin crew member taking out the note has also gone viral on social media.
PIA air hostess caught carrying riyal inside her clothes😮 #Air Hostess pic.twitter.com/DTtfrTDpZU— Muhammad Ameer Arain (@Muhamma54917525) July 28, 2024
An FIR was registered against the flight attendants based on a complaint by customs officials who intercepted the suspect while boarding PIA flight PK 203 from Lahore to Dubai.
Raja Bilal Naseem, Customs Deputy Collector at Allama Iqbal International Airport, said that during the search, 140,000 Saudi Riyals (about Rs 10.4 million) were recovered from him.
He said customs officials had received intelligence reports about a possible attempt to smuggle currency through this flight.
The suspect has been booked under Section 139 of the Customs Act, 1969, which says if a passenger or crew member attempts to smuggle currency, gold, precious metals or stones in luggage to evade customs duty, he or she will be charged with smuggling.
PIA spokesperson said if the air hostess is found guilty, she would be immediately dismissed from the job.