ISLAMABAD: Customs Preventive will continue anti-smuggling drive against smugglers and tax evaders under directions of Collector Customs Seema Raza Bokhari. Assistant Collector ASO Fahad Khan told Customs Today that ASO Islamabad showed growth of 207 percent during first quarter (July to September) FY 2019-20 against the same corresponding period, adding that Customs ASO Islamabad adopted new technology to curb smuggling of goods and vehicles as well as violation of IPR (intellectual property rights) under the jurisdiction of the Collectorate Islamabad.
Assistant Collector told that ASO Islamabad seized various cases on complaint of DG IPR Arslan Subuctageen including piracy, counterfeiting and other IPR infringements, adding that all of above cases were intercepted at IDP (Islamabad dry port) during month of September 2019-20. He said that under the guidance of Member Customs, Chief Collector and Collector Islamabad, the ASO Preventive and car cell is doing tremendous job.
He told that ASO Islamabad launched huge crackdown with help of Rawalpindi and Capital police on various godowns keeping large quantity of smuggled goods. During these crackdowns, the ASO not only seized the goods but also registered FIRs against the notorious elements and arrested them. Telling the details of seized items during first quarter, he said that ASO Islamabad seized Rs 416 million worth smuggled goods during said period in which Rs 59.88 million NDP (non duty paid vehicles) were seized whereas Rs 356 million miscellaneous smuggled goods.
He said that during first quarter, the ASO seized 36 numbers of vehicles worth Rs 39 million while seized 27 numbers of offending vehicles as well as it seized 12346 yards of cloth of different brands. Assistant Collector told that ASO seized 2700 kgs of food grain in different operations. He further told that ASO also seized 960 kgs of smuggled tea, 1516 numbers of tyre tubes, 9447 kgs of auto parts, 500 liters of mobil oil, 12156 sticks of foreign origin flack smuggled cigarettes, 265 numbers of electronic goods and various other smuggled goods in huge quantity. He added that this anti-smuggling drive will be continued.