QUETTA: The anti-smuggling squads of Quetta Customs Enforcement Collectorate in two separate but connected operations seized eleven containers fully loaded with smuggled goods worth Rs500 million in Barkhan and Loralai districts near the border with Punjab.
In a late night operation on Saturday in Rakhni, district Barkhan, four containers loaded with thousands of smuggled tyres, tons of foreign origin fabric, huge quantity of whey powder and loads of other miscellaneous smuggled goods were taken into custody.
After tough resistance from armed smugglers, four containers were seized during the first raid and some other containers loaded on vehicles concealed at other locations fled away in the darkness of night.
This was the largest anti-smuggling operation in Balochistan ever.
At a Press Conference Chief Collector Muhammad Sadiq and Collector Quetta Dr. Fareed said search for the fleeing vehicles was continued the next day and all suspected areas/routes were combed and monitored. After continued efforts and surveillance, the fleeing containers were located in Mekhtar District Barkhan, around 120 KM away from Rakhni.
A second operation was conducted after sunset with the assistance of local FC at Mekhtar and 7 more containers were seized loaded with tons of smuggled fabric, tyres, cigarettes, betelnuts and other miscellaneous goods.
The seven seized containers were also shifted to Customs Enforcement Unit Rakhni under the escort of customs, levies and police squads among threats and intimidation of large crowds gathered by smugglers.
Total CIF Value of the smuggled goods/containers in these containers is Rs. 380 million with a market value of Rs.475 million.
Preliminary investigations have revealed that most of the smuggled goods were transported piecemeal from Gulistan, Pishin and other areas near Pak-Afghan border to Qila saifullah from where these goods were loaded in containers for dumping in districts near the Punjab border. From these dumping areas, goods were to be transported piecemeal to other cities in Punjab and Sindh.
The operation has dealt a serious blow to the strong smuggling cartels operating in the country. This successful operation by Quetta Customs in the tough areas of Balochistan despite limited resources and prevailing security conditions is also an indication of improving writ of Customs in the province.
This information of attempts of dumping of large quantities of smuggled goods in border districts with punjab was being pursued for the last more than three weeks by the Collector Customs Enforcement Quetta. After the information was ripe, raids were carefully planned by bringing in some better trained squads of the Collectorate and seeking support from other LEAs. Both the operations were personally supervised by Dr. Farid Ahmed Khan, Collector Quetta.
The chief Collector of Customs has announced cash rewards and certificates of appreciation for the officers and staff who conducted these successful operations.
