KARACHI: Staff of the Directorate I&I, Peshawar seized two containers having huge quantity of smuggled goods on GT road Peshawar and arrested two persons. Two separate FIRs have been lodged in this regard.

Goods recovered are high value /high tariff items, having approximate market value of Rs 35 millions and include led pencils, cigarettes, cloth, LEDs, misc electronics, TV kits, auto parts, body spray Havoc, body spray Parur, DVD R, MAXIL CDR, Kodak CDR, Cigarettes Milano, Pad Lock.

The authorities have also seized two trailers and two 40-ft containers having a market value of Rs10 million.

It may be mentioned here that government is pursuing rigorous against smuggling and various formations particularly Peshawar, Quetta, Gwadar and Karachi have been tasked to stop the supply of smuggled goods to the markets.

It was known that due to ongoing Zarb-e-Azb, the entire border with the Afghanistan has been sealed and smuggled goods are not coming into the country, which used to come through buses, taxis and even rickshaws.

It is interesting to note that the consignments (Goods Declarations being filed for Afghanistan through Transit Trade have decreased significantly. Most of the transit trade consignment for Afghanistan are smuggled back into the country. But, as the border with Afghanistan is sealed, GDs under Transit Trade have decreased.

The smugglers move the goods in convoys and the Customs staff due to shortage of staff were unable to intercept them all. To deal with this, two separate teams were formed so that escaping vehicles could be stopped.

Inspector General of Police KPK Nasir Durrani, Director General Customs Intelligence Imtiaz Ahmed are jointly supervising the anti-smuggling operation.

Director Intelligence Peshawar Asghar Khan and Additional Director Ziaullah Shmas and CCPO Peshawar Mubarak Zaib are running the show. Deputy Director Khayal Mohammad, DSP Hayatabad Ateeq Khan are in the field.