Attempt to smuggle donkey hides to China foiled

KARACHI: Pakistan Customs stopped a major smuggling attempt at Karachi port, seizing donkey hides worth Rs80 million that were being illegally exported to China.

According to a Customs spokesperson, officials flagged container SEGU-3154225 at the South Asia Pakistan Terminal (SAPT) using the Risk Management Profiling System.

The exporter, Messrs. Wow Trading, had declared the cargo as 285 packages of leather products, according to a report published in The Arab News .

While the Export Collectorate had already issued a loading permit, a tip-off from the Anti-Smuggling Organization (ASO) led to a detailed inspection. Customs then discovered 14,000 kilograms of donkey hides, a prohibited export item under Pakistan’s export policy.

“Declared falsely as leather goods, the hides were hidden in the container bound for China,” said Irfan Ali, the Customs spokesperson.

“A case has been filed under the Customs Act and investigations are underway.”

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Pakistan has one of the world’s largest donkey populations. The 2023-24 Pakistan Economic Survey noted a rise from 5.5 million donkeys in 2019-20 to 5.9 million.

Donkey hides are in high demand in China, where they’re used to produce Ejiao — a traditional medicine made from gelatin. Donkey meat is also commonly served in Chinese cuisine, including burgers.

This seizure is part of a broader crackdown on smuggling by the government. Karachi Customs Enforcement Chief Moinuddin Wani praised the team’s performance in successfully intercepting the illegal shipment.