KARACHI: Directorate of Intelligence and Investigation (Anti-Smuggling Organization), Karachi, during an operation against smuggling in December 2015, has recovered a huge quantity of smuggled goods worth millions of rupees. Four persons have also been arrested.
Sources told Customs Today that during this anti-smuggling campaign in December-2015, at least 1,421 foreign origin smuggled tyres were seized from Bhadurabad and Azizabad which were illegally brought without payment of duty and taxes.
In another raid, a team of Customs Intelligence seized 148 smuggled gas cylinders from a godown located in SITE area Karachi for which no customs documents for payment of duty and taxes were provided during questioning. At least 40,000 liters smuggled Iranian diesel and petrol was recovered from the jurisdiction of Saeedabad Police Station at Yousuf Goth Karachi concealed in underground tanks.
In addition smuggled vehicles, gutka and black tea was also taken in to custody. Director Customs Intelligence (Anti-Smuggling Organization) Muhammad Asif Marghoob Siddiqui told Customs Today that the value of smuggled item is more than 9.5 crores (95 million).
Four persons involved in smuggling were also arrested and FIRs have been lodged in the Customs court as per procedure and law, he added.
Challans will be submitted after investigation and seizure report will be sent to the concerned adjudicating authority as required under the Customs Act, 1969.
Director further informed that during the Financial Year 2015-16, smuggled goods worth Rs 1 billion and 8 crores (Rs1088.77million) were also seized including smuggled diesel, electronic items, vehicles, tyres, liquor and narcotics etc.
Anti-smuggling operation was conducted in line with the strategy of FBR and under instructions of the Director General, Customs Intelligence Imtiaz Ahmed. Additional Director Nadeem Ahsan supervised these operations were materialized by teams of Customs Intelligence including Assistant Director Kaleemullah, Superintendents Najeebullah Jaffery and Mehmood Abbas and other official including Haji Muhammad Aslam, Akmal Hashmi, Munwar Ali and etc. Asif Marghoob Siddiqui said that anti-smuggling operation against the menace of smuggling shall continue with available resources at the disposal.
