HYDERABAD: Customs Intelligence and Investigation Hyderabad foiled an attempt to transport huge quantity of betel nut (Arica) and seized the goods along with the vehicles cumulatively worth Rs61.26 million.
Keeping in line with the directions of Chairman, Federal Board of Revenue and the Director General I&I (Customs), Islamabad to curb the menace of smuggling, the Directorate of Intelligence & Investigation (Customs), Hyderabad, under the supervision of Director Dr. Sadiqullah Khan tightened the controls and kept extra vigilance against the organized smuggling of contraband items.
In this regard, a Special Investigation Unit (SIU) of the Directorate of Intelligence & Investigation-FBR (Customs) Regional Office, Hyderabad was directed for active surveillance on the movement of smuggled goods.
On receipt of a credible information, that huge quantity of betel nuts would be transported from Quetta to Karachi, the team of SIU put active surveillance and successfully conducted an Intelligence Based Operations and intercepted three 10-wheeler Hino Trucks loaded with huge quantity (44,350 kgs) of smuggled betel nuts near Dadu City, Makhdoom Bilawal, District Dadu.
It is pertinent to mention here that despite acute shortage of staff and material resources, the team of Directorate of Intelligence & Investigation (Customs), Hyderabad made one of the biggest seizures of betel nuts in recent history on its own without the help of any Law Enforcement Agency (LEA).
The worth of seized goods i.e. Betel nuts is Rs33.26 million whereas the value of seized trucks is Rs.28 million. The total worth of goods and conveyance comes out to be Rs.61.26 million.
Moreover, during the current financial year (2019-20), the Directorate made 28 seizure cases valuing Rs. 47.14 million as against cases valuing Rs. 27.06 million during corresponding period of last year showing an increase of 75%.
In its further strategy, the Directorate intends to have joint operations with MCC Hyderabad. The Director has also tasked the staff to locate dumping sites of smuggled and contraband goods in its jurisdiction.
The Director appreciated the hard work and efforts of the ASO teams under command of Additional Director Syed Naeem Akhtar and Deputy Director Syed Muhammad Raza Naqvi and encouraged them to enhance the efforts to arrest revenue loss, and discourage the smuggling of general goods, non-duty paid vehicles and contraband items. He further emphasized despite joint efforts with other law enforcement agencies, which include information sharing and strategic planning to take effective measures against smugglers of contraband goods, the Directorate should focus on its own resources, intelligence gathering and conducting effective operations.