Shock As UAE Shipping Firm Vanishes With Residents' Goods Worth Dh2 Million

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

When Dubai resident Waseem Raza typed 'cheap cargo to Pakistan' into Google last year, the first name to pop up looked like a godsend.

Pakistan Raveed Alam Cargo Service promised affordable door-to-door delivery at a fraction of the usual cost. Within hours, a pickup truck arrived at his Silicon Oasis flat to collect five cartons filled with electronics, clothes, and precious family memorabilia.

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“They charged me just Dh300. I thought it was a steal,” said Raza, adding:“Ironically, it was.”

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'My goods were sold off'

Months later, the cartons never made it to Karachi, and the company just vanished. "I have filed a complaint with Dubai Police because I strongly suspect my goods were sold off instead of being shipped,” Raza added.

When the company first launched, it was heavily promoted. Videos of the firm's Sharjah warehouse inauguration, seen by Khaleej Times, portrayed it as a boon for UAE residents.

Balloons and confetti filled the air as key members posed before the cameras, projecting the image of a trusted brand. Slick social media ads and free pickup offers added to its appeal. Today, however, all its UAE contact numbers are switched off.

Over Dh100,000 valuables pending

Businessman Arsal Khan's experience was no different. He and his family handed over over Dh100,000 worth of goods to Raveed, including a Rolex watch, a fridge, e-bikes, a washing machine, and precious items like educational certificates and toys his younger siblings had been waiting for.

“They charged Dh8,000 and promised delivery to our home in Wah Cantonment, near Rawalpindi, in three to four weeks,” Khan recalled.

Twenty months later, they are still without their shipment.

When Khan's calls went unanswered and as the phones went dead, he visited the warehouse, only to find it deserted. He said he has since filed complaints with both Dubai and Sharjah Police.

“Police later confirmed that the man we dealt with had left the UAE in September 2024,” he told Khaleej Times.

Emotional value of items

Meanwhile, banker Allaudin lost Dh15,000 worth of designer clothes and shoes. For months, he was told the shipment was“stuck at Karachi port". Eventually, his calls went unanswered. He, too, went to the warehouse and found it sealed by local authorities.

Allaudin has since joined a WhatsApp group of nearly 40 other customers who say they were left stranded by Raveed.“The actual number is much (likely) higher because many people resigned themselves to fate,” he said.“Altogether, we estimate the total losses at around Dh2 million.”

For Allaudin, the financial loss is compounded by the emotional value of the items.“Some of those clothes were limited editions, collected from around the world, even autographed pieces. They had memories attached to them.”

In Lahore, businessman Ahsan Ali is still waiting for goods worth nearly Dh150,000, including heavy machinery, LCD stands, solar and laptop batteries. He said he paid Dh25,000 for the shipment.“It was everything I had built over years of hard work.”

Numbers disconnected

Efforts by Khaleej Times to contact Raveed Alam Cargo Service through the UAE phone numbers listed on their marketing materials proved fruitless - every number was disconnected. Attempts to reach the company's owners in Pakistan also went unanswered. The Sharjah warehouse they once operated from has since been taken over by a new tenant.

The case mirrors a 2019 incident when Dubai-based firm Noor Al Fajar Cargo similarly disappeared with clients' goods. Back then, containers were allegedly left unclaimed at Karachi Port and later auctioned off to local businessmen.

Belongings worth thousands of dirhams, including filmmaking equipment, children's toys, and wedding albums, never reached their owners.

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