KARACHI: The Directorate of Customs Intelligence and Investigation Regional Office Karachi during its anti-smuggling operations in November, 2014 foiled many attempts of smuggling and seized Rs 30 million goods and arrested culprits.
Details revealed that during November, the Anti-Smuggling Organisation (ASO) of Customs Intelligence and Investigation-FBR Karachi seized a quantity of 166,000 liters smuggled diesel and petrol, 34 tonnes plastic dana and huge quantity of foreign origin cloth, tiles, electronics, vehicles and launches used for transporting smuggled goods and gutka and registered cases against the offenders.
As per details, the value of seized smuggled goods is estimated more than Rs 60 million and 30 persons were arrested and FIRs have been lodged accordingly and the cases have been sent to adjudicating and other legal authorities including Custom Courts.
Director Customs Intelligence, Muhammad Asif Marghoob Siddiqui informed that the anti-smuggling activities and operations have been supervised in Karachi by Superintendent Muhammad Ilyas and SIOs Muhammad Aslam and Akmal Hashmi, while in Sukkur Range Superintendent Najeeb Jafferi, Intelligence Officers Qaswar Shah and Mohsin conducted the raids.
Marghoob further said that all cases have been sent to the adjudicating authorities after fulfilling the legal formalities as required under the Customs Act, 1969.
The Director Customs Intelligence and Investigation further said that the operations were conducted in the line with the anti-smuggling strategy devised by Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and also under the instructions of Director General of Customs Intelligence Lutfullah Virk.
“The officials of Law Enforcing Agencies (LEAs) and Pakistan Maritime Security Agency extended great help in making the anti-smuggling operation successful for which the Directorate of Customs Intelligence appreciated their role”, Siddiqui added.
It is pertinent to mention here that the officials of customs intelligence in the province of Sindh have been directed to further improve their performance using the available resources to save the national exchequer from financial loss due to menace of smuggling.
