HYDERABAD: Collectorate of Customs Collector Khalid Hussain Jamali said that due to continuous focus on anti-smuggling operations, the Collectorate has crossed Rs 1 billion mark with seizures of smuggled goods. Value of seized goods for the period July 2018 to April 2019 was Rs 1058 million. Seized goods mainly include smuggled Irani diesel 1413145 litres valuing Rs 96.502 million, 37 numbers of non-duty paid vehicles valuing Rs 32.664 million, 567 tons betal nuts valuing Rs 158.788 million, 1251 tyres valuing Rs 13.474 million and other misc. goods valuing Rs 747.283 million.
Talking with Customs Today during an exclusive interview, the collector said continuous strict anti-smuggling activities resulted in seizing goods of more than 73 million during May, 2019. A quantity of 238,000 litres of smuggled diesel, 07 non-duty paid vehicles including Honda Civic Car, Toyota Surf, 2000 tyres of different sizes besides other goods including cigarettes, smuggled non-duty paid 4000 kgs of black tea, foreign origin zeera.
He said that the Collectorate is making all-out efforts to enhance anti-smuggling activities in coordination with other Law Enforcement Agencies specially Pakistan Rangers Sindh. Two joint operations with MCC Quetta were conducted in Balochistan area of Dera Allahyar to bust the illegal dumps of Iranian diesel, and huge quantity of diesel was recovered in those operations.
The Collectorate is making efforts to revive imports at Dry Port Hyderabad and all facilities are being provided to the importers of Hyderabad area to import their goods at Hyderabad Dry Port. Recently M/s. DS Motors, earlier clearing their goods from Karachi, have now started importing goods at Dry Port Hyderabad.
The Collectorate has adopted strict enforcement to curb movement of smuggled goods and enhanced facilitation for lawful imports at Dry Port Hyderabad.
Collector Khalid Hussain Jamali told Customs Today, the collectorate launched different campaigns against the smuggling. The Model Customs Collectorate’s Anti-Smuggling Organization (ASO) teams conducted various anti-smuggling activities to protect the national exchequer. ASO confiscated smuggled items from Hyderabad, Sukkur division, Jacobabad, Larkana Dera Mor and other check posts of Customs Preventive during the month of May 2019 and impounded smuggled and contraband items.
The collector said he formed raiding teams under the supervision of Additional Collector Dr Aamer Nawaz Hamid, Deputy Collector (HQ) Syed Kareem Adil and Kalimullah from Sukkur. The team, comprising in-charge ASO Customs Preventive Syed Momin Hussain Shah, in-charge ASO customs check post Jacobabad Zulfiqar Ali Jamali, in-charge Dera Mor Check Post Aziz Ahmed Katpar, inspector Sukkur Makhan Khan and other staff took part in the operations.
Collector Khalid Hussain Jamali said that he asked the officials of the ASO to adopt zero tolerance against the smugglers who are out to destroy the legal business of the city.
Talking to Customs Today, the collector said the Hyderabad Customs showed excellent performance with regard to the anti-smuggling during said period, adding that the collectorate is improving its performance over the time by adopting effective strategies against the smugglers.
