LAHORE: Additional Collector of Customs Basit Maqsood has said that when Customs ASO teams initiate crackdowns against the smuggling activities, they are usually accused of corruption; however, if solid proofs are provided strict action against the staff involved in corruption will be taken.
He expressed these view while talking to a section of media about the alleged involvement of ASO Customs Inspector Javaid alias Jyda dollar who is said to be covering organized smuggling and posing huge losses to the national exchequer on account of duty and taxes.
It is said that few weeks back a team under the supervision of Javaid Iqbal seized 4000 sacks of skimmed milk at a gowdown at Jandyal Road Shikhupura and illegally released 500 sacks for Rs1.5 million promising that no other raid will be conducted against the godown.
When this scribe contacted Javaid Iqbal for his version on the story in which he is accused of corruption, he said that all this information is baseless and fabricated.
He said that 1884 sacks have been seized and the owners of the milk have agreed to pay duty and taxes over Rs11.5 million. He said that the duty and taxes will be deposited to the national kitty within one week.
