KARACHI: The ASO of Customs Enforcement Karachi has started conducting factories and warehouses of betel nut (supari) makers. Two such raids were conducted and large quantity of smuggled and sub-standard betel nut were recovered. Two separate FIRs have also been lodged.

Acting on information through Collector Feroz Alam Junejo to Additional Collector Hoonak Baloch, ASO Enforcement Karachi led by Deputy collector Inamullah Wazir, after fulfilling all due formalities, raided Chemitex Building in SITE Karachi and recovered 15.3 tons of smuggled betel nut worth Rs15.3 million. The owner of these goods is identified as Tahir Ali of Tahir Food Products. An FIR is lodged and efforts are underway to arrest the culprits.

Moreover, another raid was conducted in SITE area and large quantity of crushed betel nut, Gutka, artificial flavours, supari wrapping sheets and Chinese salt were recovered. The value of the seized goods is Rs11.2 million. An FIR is lodged and investigations are under way.

An official said factories and warehouses of supari makers were being raided to curb the smuggling of these hazardous goods.

The official informed these factories of betel nut supari etc were involved in smuggling contraband goods and revenue evasion. It was known that these factories import a few containers of betel nut legally through proper channel, and then these documents are misused to transport and distribute smuggled goods, and to hoodwink authorities and exploiting the loop holes in the judicial system.

Member Customs Tariq Huda has his focus on curbing smuggling, which has been plaguing the country’s economy since long. Tariq Huda master-minded the entire anti-smuggling campaign and posted highly reputed and competent officers on sensitive positions.

These measures have yielded significant results, as the flow of smuggled goods has reduced to a significant extent, there has been a colossal increase in legal imports and revenue collection.

An official said the formations have delivered record performance with seizures of Seizures of smuggled goods and recovery through auctions broke all records in the history of Customs.

It may be mentioned here that as the noose around smugglers and their activities was tightened, several notorious smugglers including Sadiq Sadozai left Pakistan, while the operations of another known smuggler Nabi Bux are limited to a maximum extent.

The smugglers and their associates are perturbed with the momentum Tariq Huda has created and are resorting to defame the Member Customs. Sources said certain baseless complaints and defamatory campaigns are underway aimed at removal of Tariq Huda from the office of Member Customs and hurting his career growth to the next level.