MULTAN: Collectorate of Customs, Enforcement, Multan has reported a substantial increase in the seizure of smuggled goods across the region. The period from July 2023 to May 2024 saw a 50% surge in the value of seized goods compared to the same timeframe in the previous financial year.
The intensified crackdown has led to the apprehension of various items including non-duty paid (NDP) vehicles, carrier vehicles, smuggled petroleum, oil, and lubricants (POL), mobile phones, food items, cigarettes, betel nuts, tyres, and more, cumulatively valued at a staggering Rs4.134 billion.
Notably, the number of NDP vehicles confiscated more than doubled, marking a 139% increase, while seizures of betel nuts and cigarettes rose by 138% and 563%, respectively.
Under the leadership of Syed Imran S. Bukhari, Collector of Customs, and Mr. Shah Faisal, Additional Collector, the Collectorate comprising DC ASO Sadiqabad/Bahawalpur Fareedudin Masood, DC Airport Maryam Jamila and AC DG Khan, AC Zaigham and staff has been steadfast in its commitment to promoting legal trade and curbing the circulation of illegal merchandise.
Special attention has been directed towards the capture of non-duty paid vehicles, which are often implicated in criminal and terrorist activities. This focus has yielded remarkable results, with a 91% rise in the number of vehicles seized and a 150% increase in their value.
The enforcement drive has also made significant headway in the D.G. Khan Division, where 20 cases involving POL products, valued at Rs. 50.8 million, were registered for May 2024. This represents a 298% jump compared to the corresponding month of the previous year.
The Collectorate’s efforts are part of a broader strategy, under the guidance of Mr. Ashhad Jawwad, Member Customs (Operations), and Madam Rubab Sikandar, Chief Collector (Enforcement-Punjab), to dismantle smuggling networks and support legitimate business practices. The impressive results of this campaign reflect the unwavering resolve of the FBR and its enforcement wings to protect the nation’s economic interests and uphold the rule of law.
A rigorous anti-smuggling campaign is underway across the country, and all collectorates and directorates have absolute assistance of law enforcement as well as security agencies. Being ruthless, the campaign has been progressing at a fast pace, and cases of seizing smuggled goods has multiplied. Moreover, the smugglers are being accorded no favors, which was the norm earlier.