Karachi: The Collectorate of Customs Enforcement, Karachi, has foiled a major smuggling attempt of foreign liquor and seized huge quantities of smuggled High Speed Diesel (HSD) in separate operations.
According to a press release issued by the Collectorate, the Collector of Customs Enforcement, Karachi, Mr. Basit Maqsood Abbasi, assigned Deputy Collector Syed Muhammad Raza Naqvi and Assistant Collector Shahzad Ali of Anti-Smuggling Organization (ASO) to intercept a Dumper carrying smuggled liquor from Karachi to upcountry.
The ASO staff posted at Customs Super Highway Choke Point stopped the Dumper (Reg. No. TAP-251) on the night of February 27-28, near DHA City on Super Highway. The driver of the vehicle escaped in the dark. Upon examination, the ASO team recovered 3,036 bottles of high-end foreign liquor of various brands. An FIR has been registered against the culprits.
In another operation, the ASO team seized two LPG Bowsers (TMN-075 & TLR-392) and one tanker (TLK-571) containing smuggled HSD in the guise of Liquefied Petroleum Gas during the last three days. The smuggled HSD was being transported from Balochistan to Karachi.
The total market value of the seized goods is estimated at Rs. 163.84 millions. The goods have been seized under Section 168 of the Customs Act, 1969, and notices have been issued under Section 171 of the same act.
The Collector of Customs Enforcement, Karachi, Mr. Basit Maqsood Abbasi, lauded the performance of the ASO team and instructed them to further intensify the anti-smuggling drive.
Meanwhile, an official of the Collectorate suggested that instead of destroying the seized liquor, it should be exported back or sold to diplomatic missions to generate some revenue for the government. However, no official decision has been taken on this matter yet.
