MULTAN: Collectorate of Customs Enforcement & Compliance (E&C) showed outstanding performance against smuggling of goods and detected mega seizure cases in the region.
Talking with Customs Today during an exclusive interview in her office, Collector Muneeza Majeed claimed that Multan Customs has tightened nose against smugglers to curb smuggling in the enormous jurisdiction. All three division offices of Multan Customs are given specific targets which are fully monitored by senior level officers on regular basis, adding that owing to this special focus, the flow of smuggled goods through major roads has been effectively frustrated through aggressive crackdown.
She stated that Multan Customs Enforcement & Compliance has enhanced joint surveillance on the suspected routes especially Sakhi Sarwar, few tribal areas and Kot Sabzal adopted for the transportation of smuggled goods in the jurisdiction to curb smuggling.
Multan Customs enforcement has carried out action against 1136 Petroleum filling stations involved in the business of selling smuggled HSD on the special directives of Prime Minister Imran Khan and Multan Customs special teams sealed almost 702 petrol pumps during their crackdown. Multan Customs has also lodged almost 465 criminal FIRS against owners of Petrol pumps during their crackdowns.
The Collectorate has shown remarkable performance during the previous economic year 2020-21. At the end FY-2020-21, Customs Collectorate Multan has seized goods worth almost Rs.4.38 billion as compared to Rs.3 billion worth of goods seized corresponding year during the same period. A growth of 75 % has been recorded in seizure values this year viz-a-viz previous year. These anti-smuggling seizures of MCC (E&C) are the highest in last 5 years when compared with the yearly combined performance of erstwhile MCC Multan and MCC Faisalabad.
MCC Multan took effective administrative measures by posting staff having better repute in the six Anti-Smuggling Divisions. In view of the vast territorial jurisdiction covering 74% of the Punjab, the staff was deployed at the strategic locations and choke points. The progress and movement of squads were closely monitored and effective strategy was adopted to curb smuggling. Customs Collectorate has started aggressive crackdown against the notorious smugglers including Haji Muhammad Sadiq Achakzai and Nabi Baksh. Multan Customs has also banned the entrance of suspected personnel in the building.
Anti-Smuggling Organization has seized the smuggled goods passing through the territory of Collectorate and raids were also carried out on godowns containing smuggled Cigarettes, Tyres, Dry fruit, whey powder, dry milk, betel nuts in Multan and Faisalabad and huge quantity of smuggled goods were recovered from these locations.
Precisely, the Collectorate seized Miscellaneous merchandise worth Rs. 3153 Million, Vehicles carrying smuggled goods worth Rs593 Million, NDP vehicles worth Rs856 million, Cigarettes worth Rs412.42 million, tyres worth Rs86.8 Million and others. All this was made possible due to well thought out strategy and placement of staff on merit keeping in view of the on-ground requirements and cultivation of an efficient network of informers. The aggressive and focused anti-smuggling drive has caused a great setback to the smugglers as is evident from the quantum of seized goods and their values.
The liaison with other Law Enforcement Agencies has been strengthened using the platform of the Divisional Task Force on Anti-Smuggling. She also stated that the Multan Customs officers and staff will maintain this productivity and put in their best possible efforts to continue to strive for such success in future as well. Collector Customs further emphasized the officers and staff to ensure strict discipline, adopt austerity measures, honesty and constant enforcement of laws for the economic uplift of the country during the economic crisis faced by the country. The Collectorate shall keep this momentum continue to root out smuggling in line with the Policy of the current Government.
