KARACHI: Pakistan Customs, with the assistance of law enforcement and intelligence agencies, has launched a country-wide crackdown on movement of smuggled goods, while warehouses, shops and distributors dealing in smuggled goods are also being targeted.
An official said anti-smuggling campaign was in full swing, across the country while vigilance had been increased on airports, sea ports and borders.
According to government sources, Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) plans to collect Rs100 billion revenue (target) through stopping smuggling.
An official said smuggling, money laundering and flight of foreign currency are the worst enemies of a country’s economy and sovereignty.
COAS Qamar Javed Bajwa and PM Imran Khan are focusing on plugging revenue leakages particularly smuggling of fuel, vehicles and contraband items. It is a known fact that money made through smuggling is used to fund anti-social and terrorist elements, which is why security establishment is completely cooperating Customs authorities in their anti-smuggling drive.
Sources said inflation will start easing from next year, and a number of subsidies will be announced as part of their election campaign.
As part of the ongoing campaign, Customs Intelligence and Investigation Quetta seized large quantity of miscellaneous smuggled goods including auto parts.
Information was passed through Director Muhammad Ismail to Deputy Director Raza Naqvi regarding movement of smuggled goods. Intelligence Officer Hamid Habib and other staff stopped a Hino truck at Airport Road Quetta and recovered the smuggled goods worth Rs52 million.
Moreover, MCC JIAP foiled an attempt to smuggle precious stones and recovered precious stones worth Rs11.1 million.
Customs Intelligence and Investigation Gwadar has seized large quantity of fine quality liquor in an offshore operation conducted in coordination and cooperation of Pakistan Navy.
On the basis of a credible information shared by the Director, Directorate of Intelligence & Investigation- Customs, Gwadar with Pakistan Navy, a successful joint operation was conducted early this week inside the sea off Kund Malir near Ormara apprehending the fine quality liquor in the form of 5,400 bottles with an approximate value of over Rs70 million.
In pursuance of the aforementioned intelligence-based joint operation, a ceremony of handing over – taking over was organised by Pakistan Navy on Friday 24th September, 2021 at Naval Base Ormara.
The processing of smuggled betel nuts in Karachi had become a very lucrative business and its smugglers had posed numerous challenges to the officers and officials in discharging their official duties.
The Collectorate of customs Enforcement Karachi successfully conducted some daring road chases and seized a huge quantity of smuggled betel nuts along with the conveyances being used in the act of its smuggling.
However, to nip the evil in the bud, a strategy was devised to conduct a crackdown against the factories where the smuggled betel nuts are being processed in order to curtail its demand and minimize the risks posed to the staff at the hands of mafia involved in this illegal business.
On the directives of Collector Feroz Alam Junejo and Additional Collector Hoonak Baloch, the anti-smuggling organization of MCC Preventive Karachi le by Assistant Collector Shafiullah conducted an operation in S.I.T.E Area, Karachi after fulfillment of all legal formalities and recovered 1,920 PP bags containing foreign origin betel nuts, total weighing 48 tons and 200 cartons of sweet supari, total weighing 6 tons.
The total value of seized smuggled goods is Rs54 million. Similarly, the anti-smuggling organization conducted another operation in S.I.T.E Area, Karachi and recovered 358 PP bags containing foreign origin betel nut weighing 15.3 tons valuing Rs15.3 million.
FIRs against the owners were lodged accordingly. The blockade of supplies to the factories along with seizure of betel nut from some of the factory premises/godowns has brought the processing of smuggled betel nuts to a halt in Karachi.
All the factories involved in such practices are being monitored closely and an immediate action will be taken against them if found processing the smuggled betel nuts.