LAHORE: Collectorate of Customs Preventive Anti-Smuggling Organization (ASO) Additional Collector Muhammad Ashfaq has said that the organization has adopted zero tolerance against the illegal import and the elements involved in smuggling activities which are inflicting huge losses on the national exchequer.
He expressed this commitment while interacting with Customs Today here the other day at his office in Customs House Lahore. He said that the Collector of Customs Lahore Preventive Ahmad Rauf has taken cognizance of the illegal transportation of the goods and articles in the city and ordered to come hard on the elements bringing them to the book.
The Collectorate under the supervision of Additional Collector Muhammad Ashfaq has conducted several operations against the smuggling activities seizing millions of rupees illegally imported goods and articles. The Customs Preventive Anti-Smuggling Organization (ASO) impounded one non-duty paid Prado jeep from Shadman area. The ASO team asked the driver of the vehicle to produce legal documents regarding possession of the vehicle, but he failed to produce any lawful documents. Upon his failure, customs ASO team impounded the Prado jeep and brought the same into the premises of Customs House. Sources told that customs team after registering a case started further investigations.
Similarly ASO squad recovered huge quantity of non-duty paid cloth dumped in a godown located in Misri Shah. A huge quantity of non-duty paid cloth was dumped in godown. Additional Collector Mohammad Ishfaq took action against non-duty paid cloth. An anti-smuggling squad was constituted and the squad raided a godown located in Misri Shah and recovered huge quantity of non-duty paid cloth. The anti-smuggling squad seized the entire cloth. The market value of seized cloth is Rs30 million.
Anti-smuggling squad shifted the seized cloth in Customs Preventive warehouse located at Thokhar Niaz Baig. Customs Preventive registered a case against the owner of the godown and further investigations are underway.
In yet another raid, huge non-duty paid goods and cloth from two trucks was impounded. Collector Ahmad Rauf received credible information that huge quantity of non-duty paid goods will be smuggled to Lahore from different locations. He immediately directed Additional Collector Muhammad Ashfaq to enhance checking in the region to thwart smuggling bids.
An anti-smuggling squad under the supervision of the additional collector intercepted two trucks at Thokar Niaz Baig Multan Road Lahore which were loaded with smuggled goods. The non-duty paid goods includes tyres and fabric cloth, parachute cloth. The anti-smuggling squad seized the goods after drivers of both trucks failed to provide any legal documents regarding possession and transportation of goods.
Customs anti-smuggling squad brought all the seized goods and vehicle to the warehouse of Customs Preventive while further investigation is under process.
