QUETTA: Customs Quetta has expedited its drive against organized smuggling and seized Indian Gutka and Betel nut worth Rs130 million.
Information was passed through Collector Enforcement Quetta Irfan ur Rehman to Additional Collector Umar Shafique regarding movement of prohibited smuggled goods.
Deputy Collector Moed Kanjo formed a team comprising Inspectors Masood Jamali, Faraz Fayyaz, Ali Lamran and Class-IV staff to thwart the attempt. Subsequently, a 22-whheler truck was spotted coming from Afghan Border at Suryab Road. The vehicle was intercepted, and search led to recovery of 30.7 tons of betel nut and 660,000 sachets of Indian Gutkha.
Soon after, collector Enforcement and other officers also reached the spot. Customs Enforcement has reduced the smuggling to a maximum extent in the Baluchistan, and there is almost no movement of smuggled goods to Punjab from Baluchistan.
An official said all credit for limiting smuggling went to Chief Collector Muhammad Saleem, and Customs Quetta Enforcement team.
The official said fuel smuggling/transportation was still on, and it was being done in the garb of quota/NOC issued by district administration. Official pointed out the district administration was reportedly issuing permissions in excess of quota. The Deputy Commissioner’s permission made it difficult to crack down on fuel smuggling in the province.