MULTAN: Collectorate of Customs Anti-Smuggling Organization has detected several mega seizure cases of worth Rs.352.09 during month of October by seizing non-duty paid vehicles, clothes, dry fruits, auto parts, welding rods, cigarettes ,gutka etc.
In pursuance of policy guidelines issued by Federal Board of Revenue against Smuggling, Customs Collectorate of Preventive has intensified the anti-smuggling operations in the territory. Collector Customs Preventive Muhammad Saleem has intensified the crackdown against smuggled goods after devising aggressive strategy under the special directions of Member Customs Jawwad Awais Agha and Chief Collector Enforcement Centre Region Zeba Hai Azhar to curtail smuggling in the South Punjab and anti-smuggling squad has stepped up its efforts in the jurisdiction.
Special emphasis was given on the revamping of Anti-Smuggling Organization (ASO) to curb menace of smuggling from Jurisdiction. Multan Customs Preventive Collector has unified anti-smuggling strategy after assuming responsibility of the Collectorate and reorganized the whole staff of Anti-Smuggling Organization for effective crackdown to curb menace of smuggling in the South Punjab
Multan Customs Anti-Smuggling Organization has adopted aggressive strategy against smuggled goods on the directions of Member Customs and detected 20 various seizure cases of Rs352.09 million during the period of October .Customs Preventive Anti-Smuggling Organization has shown exceptional performance under supervision of Collector Muhammad Saleem after re-organizing them by deputing staff at strategic locations to intercept smuggled goods and vehicles in the Jurisdiction. Multan Customs has enhanced the monitoring of suspected routes adopted for smuggling to prevent smuggling of foreign origin vehicles and goods in the South Punjab.
Multan Customs successfully accomplished the anti-smuggling task given by Member Customs by seizing more than Rs.74.09 million seizure cases of non-customs paid goods and vehicles than allocated target during October. Multan Anti-Smuggling has detected mega seizure cases after the formation of Preventive Collectorate by adopting zero tolerance against smuggling.
Anti-Smuggling Organization staff intercepted a truck on the secret information of Collector from Garha More Tehsil Mailsi bearing registration number TKV-824/Quetta which were loaded with betel nuts, Gutka, old & used auto parts, tyres of worth Rs.77 million.
In another action, Anti-Smuggling Organization has seized a 40 feet container loaded with smuggled Indian Origin Cloths during patrolling from Sadiqabad region and recovered almost 16480 Kilograms of cloth valuing Rs.50.25 million. The container was coming from Quetta to supply smuggled cloth in South Punjab.
Customs Anti-Smuggling Squad has intercepted smuggled cloth under the guise of Afghan Transit Trade of approximately 17620 Kilograms of valuing Rs.51.5 million from District Rahim Yar Khan in a successful crackdown. Multan Customs teams has also seized after recovering 22730 Kilograms of smuggled foreign Origin Almonds of Rs.51.5 million from Layyah region due to strict vigilance of Anti-Smuggling teams. Customs teams recovered huge quantity of tyres, cloth, betel nuts etc of worth Rs.174.05 million from Faisalabad region in successful action. Customs teams has also busted a smuggling attempt from Faisalabad by recovering huge quantity of almonds, coconut powder etc of worth Rs.62.09 million during their action.
Collector Muhammad Saleem told Customs Today that Multan Customs continued to make achievements in anti-smuggling work without compromising the objectives of trade facilitation in region. Anti-Smuggling Organization has strengthened intelligence exchange and co-operation with law-enforcement agencies to curb smuggling in the jurisdiction. He further expressed that Anti-Smuggling Organization has identified few clandestine routes in the territory which were adopted by the smugglers for smuggling of goods and vehicles. Monitoring of suspected routes has been enhanced in the jurisdiction to restrain smuggling under new strategy.
