LAHORE:Customs Enforcement has seized a large quantity of the banned metal cadmium in Lahore. According to officials, the prohibited metal was cleared from dry port by declaring it aluminium. Customs Enforcement checked the container outside the dry port, where inspection revealed that it contained cadmium instead of aluminium.
Customs officials said the hazardous banned metal was imported for use in the manufacture of artificial jewellery. They added that the use of cadmium for human-related purposes is prohibited worldwide.
Officials further stated that the import of cadmium into Pakistan requires a no-objection certificate (NOC) from a sensitive institution. Customs Enforcement has taken more than two tonnes of cadmium into custody and registered a case. The Collectorate of Customs Enforcement Lahore, headed by Collector M Saeed Watto seized assorted hair accessories, imitation jewellery and other items during an operation at ThokarNiaz Beg, according to a seizure report issued by Customs Enforcement.
The seizure was registered as Case No. 258/2025 and carried out on December 10, 2025. The intercepted goods included girls’ pouches, purses and bags weighing 130 kilograms (6,000 pieces), imitation jewellery with chatton weighing 5,300 kilograms, plastic cosmetic bottles weighing 396 kilograms, and cadmium bars weighing 2,020 kilograms.
The total value of the seized goods was assessed at Rs11,100,410. Customs documents showed that the duty and taxes amounting to Rs9,547,253 had been paid on the goods declaration, while the differential duty and taxes were calculated at Rs2,678,397. The value of the carrier truck was stated as Rs15,311,855 and the container value at Rs406,928.
According to Collector Customs Enforcement Lahore, the goods were intercepted near the Customs Freight Station at ThokarNiaz Beg following information received regarding alleged evasion of duties and taxes after clearance from the Collectorate of Customs (Appraisement-West), Lahore.
According to Saeed Watto, "Legal proceedings were initiated under Sections 16, 32A(1)(c) and 178 of the Customs Act, 1969, read with Sections 3(1) and 3(3) of the Imports and Exports (Control) Act, 1950, and Clause 1(a) of SRO No. 499(I)/2009 dated June 13, 2009, punishable under Clause 14A of Section 156(1) of the Customs Act, 1969. The accused named in the case include a company, located at 1st Floor, Acha Market, Shah Alam Market, Lahore, as the importer, along with two individuals identified as claimants of the goods.
The operation was conducted by officers and staff of Customs Enforcement, Lahore and the seized goods were deposited in the state warehouse at Thokar Niaz Beg, Lahore.
