Authorities bust ‘Black Dollar’ smuggling: but what is it?

PESHAWAR: Excise officials in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa made a substantial seizure yesterday on the motorway interchange when they recovered $200,000 during a vehicle search. The currency bore a black tint, leading officers to suspect it had been involved in a smuggling operation originating from Mardan.

According to the lead officer, Azlan Aslam, upon recovering the currency, police arrested two suspects on the spot. Speaking to HUM News, Director of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Syed Rizwan Shah explained that these darkened notes are known as “black dollars.” They can be reverted to their original state using a specific chemical, potentially facilitating a form of currency smuggling where the bills are stained to avoid detection and then cleaned after the transaction.

The FIA has initiated a case against the suspects involved in black dollar smuggling. Law enforcement agencies, including the police, are now keeping a strict vigil on the chemicals capable of restoring these black dollars to their original state. Chemical sellers have been warned to remain vigilant against potentially illicit purchases.

Furthermore, legal enforcement officers and officials have been directed to escalate operations against individuals involved in black dollar smuggling, a criminal activity that threatens the economic stability and integrity of the financial system.

The ongoing investigations are aimed at curtailing the black dollar market and bringing the culprits to justice, ensuring a robust legal response to this form of economic malpractice, and maintaining the financial security of the region.