KARACHI: Government has planned a strong crackdown against smuggling as it has become evident that money made through smuggling is funding terrorists as well as anti-social elements.
Sources said that all relevant quarters including Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), military leadership and law enforcement as well as intelligence agencies are onboard in the anti-terrorism campaign, which also includes choking of their funding lines. Sources said this campaign is a part of Zarb-e-Azab.
Chief Collector Enforcement South Zahid Khokhar and Collector Preventive Tariq Huda are supervising the anti-smuggling on the Customs end. A plan has been finalized and all the markets housing foreign origin smuggled goods would be raided.
A strong raiding team is being formed which would be headed by an Additional Collector and would comprise of five deputy/assistant collectors, eight superintendent preventive services (SPS), eight Inspectors of Preventive Services (IPS), ten senior preventive officers, 15 sepoys. The raiding team would be in uniform and would operate with the assistance of Rangers and Police. A magistrate and one Superintendent of Police (SP) would accompany the team.
A number of markets have been identified where smuggled goods are being sold. Recently, Customs raided Star Mobile Market, but the officials had to come back a large number of shop owners and other people gathered at the sport and a law & order situation was created. In the light of the experience of Star Mobile Market raid, authorities have formed a strong and powerful team to deal with all situations.
Authorities have a concrete information regarding presence of smuggled Plastic dana, tea, Indian gutka, fabric, smuggled tyres, auto parts mobile phones and electronics etc at various markets.
It was also known that authorities have compiled the profiles of leading smugglers as well as their contacts in Customs and other departments and this network is going to be struck hard in coming days.
Peshawar, Quetta and Gwadar Collectorates are in the prime focus as these are the supply routes of smuggled goods in Pakistan.