KARACHI: MCC Quetta has launched a crackdown against the movement of smuggled goods particularly non-custom-paid vehicles with the assistance of FC and other law enforcement agencies.

Collector Ashraf Ali has advised his staff to keep strict vigilance on the movement of smuggled goods as smuggling causes collateral damage. On one hand, it deprives national exchequer of legitimate revenue and on the other hand, it deprives local manufacturers and legitimate importers of the level playing field.

Following the directives Additional Collector Zubair Shah, Deputy collector Maqbool Baloch, Superintendent Maqsood Durrani, Inspector Mohammad Sabir Khan and other staff made several seizures.

It may be mentioned here that MCC Quetta launched a crack down against non-custom-paid vehicles sometime back and recovered a number of smuggled vehicles.

In one incident MCC Quetta seized 60,000 liters of Iranian origin diesel worth Rs5.36 million along with a Hino truck and Town Ace van involved in the transportation of the commodity. The vehicles are worth Rs5.0 million.

After continuous and strict vigilance on diesel and its main source of smuggling by the Customs authorities, the smuggling of diesel has reached its lowest level. In another attempt two luxury vehicles Toyota Land Cruiser Model 2004 and Toyota Mark-X model 2005 were also taken into custody by the Customs staff comprising Inspectors Mohammad Esa Khan and Nadeem Tahir as both vehicles were non-duty-paid. Market value of the said vehicles is about Rs5.2 million.

While at Lakpas, Inspectors Ghulam Husain Khoso, Asghar Kakar and Mir Qalam raided local passenger buses coming from Taftan towards Quetta and recovered 1200kg betel nuts worth Rs0.5 million.

Overall, the goods and vehicles seized are valued at Rs18 million.