KARACHI: In line with the vision of Ch. Faiz Ahmad Chadhar, Director General, Customs Intelligence & Investigation, Customs Intelligence Lahore Range has shown incredible performance in the FY 2022-23.
There are two major streams of functions viz anti-smuggling and enforcement and on both sides unprecedented achievements have been made by Customs Intelligence Lahore, in its territorial and functional jurisdictions.
The Intelligence Directorate, despite of its very limited resources, has ensured meticulous implementation of tax laws and zero tolerance against smuggling, through efficient utilization of the scanty resources under the able leadership of Director, Saima Shahzad. Both Enforcement and Anti-smuggling teams were led by Additional Director Ch Rizwan Bashir Kalair.
Customs Intelligence, Lahore has surpassed the Rs.6.0 billion figure for the first time in a single financial year in the history of Lahore Intelligence Directorate. Anti-smuggling arm of the Directorate has successfully framed 479 seizures of record value of Rs. 6.188 billion in FY-2022-23.
The new team, that assumed duties from September 2022 has been able to make 403 seizures of approximately Rs. 5.7 billion which compared to same period of the Previous financial year reflects an enormous increase of about 37% (Last year the figures were Rs. 4.1 billion in 334 cases).
Following are major highlights of the Customs Intelligence Lahore Directorate’s Anti-smuggling drive during FY-22-23:
• The Highest value of seizures cases for a month was set in October 2022 when goods and vehicles worth Rs 1231 million were seized.
• For the first time, 217 NCP/Tampered vehicles were seized during FY-22-23 amounting to Rs. 1750 Millions that is exceptionally high in comparison to any preceding year. Previous best was 96 vehicles in year. This is incomparable and unparalleled.
• Record for highest number of seizure of vehicles in a single month was also set with seizure of 30 Vehicles during February 2023.
• Single highest value seizure case amounting to Rs. 856 million was made by the current team in October 2022.
• 4.6 million sticks of assorted smuggled cigarettes have also been seized in FY-22-23 valuing Rs. 211 million which is 75% more than Rs. 120 million of cigarettes seized previous year
• Since 2001, after a lapse of almost 22 years, first liquor case was framed by the Directorate in Feb, 2023 wherein 165 bottles of foreign origin assorted liquor were seized from a storage located in a densely populated slum.
• The Directorate during the FY-22-23 not only framed the cases of record values but also realized Rs. 652 million through frequent auctions, submission of adjudged duty & taxes and fine/penalties on part of swift disposal of cases at various fora.
Anti-Smuggling Organization (ASO ) has successfully registered 479 seizures cases in FY-2022-23 amounting to Rs. 6.188 billion which is 8.4% higher in comparison to Rs5.708 billion for 374 number of seizure cases registered previous year.
It is noteworthy that, since September 2022, after the assumption of charge of Director, Saima Shahzad and Additional Director, Ch. Rizwan Bashir Kalair, the Directorate has registered cases valuing Rs5.7 billion from September 2022 to June 2023 which is 37 % higher than cases valuing Rs. 4.1 billion in the corresponding period last year.
Investigation & Prosecution (I&P) Branch lodged 29 FIRs, arrested 61 offenders, submitted 24 Challans during FY-22-23 in continuation of seizure cases framed by Anti- Smuggling Wing.
In addition, organized gangs and impersonators involved in smuggling of vehicles have also been busted during this period and the criminal proceedings have been initiated against accused persons.
Around a dozen persons impersonating as Customs Intelligence officers and officials were arrested. This include one person impersonating as Assistant Director, two as inspectors and the rest as sepoys.
Many organized gangs of vehicles and other smuggling goods were also busted. Some key smugglers including notorious Nabi Bakhsh were also arrested and challaned.
Enforcement branch detects evasion of duty taxes cases from Customs Collectorates (dry ports / air ports etc). During the FY 2022-23 the Enforcement Wing of Customs Intelligence Lahore performed exceptionally well. Key achievement is as under:-
Enforcement Wing has registered 51 cases involving Duty & Taxes of Rs. 3100 million, in FY 2022-23 as compared to 42 cases involving Duty & Taxes of Rs. 2400 million last year, thus displaying augmentation by 27%.
During the FY-22-23, the revenue realized by the enforcement branch is about Rs. 110 million, over and above already paid amount. Last year the amount was 8.7 crore, the increase in realized revenue is about 25%.
Director General Customs Intelligence Pakistan Faiz Ahmad, Director Ms Saima Shahzad and Additional Director Ch Rizwan Bashir Kalair has lauded the efforts of the team comprising Ali Asad, Deputy Director; Shah Samad Hamadani, Deputy Director; Muhammad Anwar, Assistant Director; Rai Waqar Ahmad, Superintendent; Sohail Murtaza, I.O; Gulzar Bhatti, I.O; Ahtisham Naveed, I.O; Usman Azad, I.O and Abdul Hameed, I.O.
He emphasized that this contribution of Lahore Region is part of a coordinated drive of the Directorate General of Customs Intelligence in particular and FBR in general against smuggling and tax evasion. He further stressed that performance of the Directorate General of Intelligence & Investigation-Customs, throughout the country was exceptional, especially when compared with available scarce resources (HR & finances).